The world-renowned scientists at Loma Linda University are striving to advance the understanding and care of human health in order to fulfill the institution’s mission “to make man whole.” The links to the right describe the pivotal role that Loma Linda has played in the history of health research and its current contributions to a wide variety of fields. Information about our clinical trials that are currently accepting patients can be found under For Patients & Their Families.

To search for specific services, see our Directory of Research Affairs Services

Office of the Vice President for Research Affairs (VPRA)

Post-Award Services

Human Studies

Animal Studies

Research Training and Education

Inventions and Commercialization of Intellectual Properties

Regulatory Compliance and Research Integrity

See also the Compliance Hotline page

Resolving a Service Problem

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH AFFAIRS

The Vice President for Research Affairs (VPRA) is responsible for promoting and managing research activities and guiding research in all entities and affiliates of Loma Linda University.

VICE PRESIDENT

Michael Samardzija, PhD, JD, msamardzija@llu.edu /x15920

  • Oversight of Technology Transfer
  • Coordination of institutional start up companies
  • Oversight of the institutional start up company incubator, N3eight, LLC.
  • Oversight of large research projects
  • Oversight and integration of Research Affairs activities and services
  • Coordination and planning for institutional research
  • GRASP research grants

Executive Assistant to Vice President and Associate Vice President, 909-558-8544
Cindy Perez, cperez@llu.edu /x88544

  • Directions to sections and specialists
  • Scheduling meetings for Vice President and/or Associate Vice President

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT

Aleta Savage, MBA, CRA, asavage@llu.edu /44589

  • Leadership and support of financial and administrative operations
  • Assists with development and implementation of LLUH research strategic plan
  • Oversight of Pre and Post Award activities
  • Oversight of information technology for Research Affairs
  • Institutional Business Official and liaison to government agencies for sponsored projects, audits, and overhead negotiations

Coordinator, Research Affairs, 909-558-4589
Robin E. Bailey, rbailey@llu.edu /x44589

  • Scheduling meetings for Assistant Vice President, Research Operations

PRE-AWARD SERVICES (RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION)

Proposal Consultation

  • Identifying funding sources for proposed research
  • Assistance in planning and editing grant applications

Grant Pre-Award Management

  • Manages extramural grant submissions
  • Proposal development advisor
  • Obtains institutional approval
  • Identifies and interprets funding opportunities
  • Sponsor and institutional regulatory and policy review

Contact: Cindy Dickson, Director of Pre Award, cdickson@llu.edu / x44571

Electronic Research Systems Management

  • Electronic submission of grant applications
  • eRA Commons and other sponsor registrations
  • Implementation and use of LLeRA modules
  • Maintaining your profile in the investigator database -- user name & password, etc.
  • Resource for general policy and procedure related questions

Contact Cindy Dickson, Pre Award Specialist, cdickson@llu.edu / x44571

Pre-Award Budget Approval

  • Assisting investigators with budget development and entry into electronic systems
  • Reviewing and approving budgets prior to submission

Contact Pre-Award Staff, cdickson@llu.edu / x44589

POST AWARD SERVICES

Research Affairs - Post Award

  • Central fiscal administration responsible for monitoring and managing internally and externally sponsored research awards, research related grants, contracts, and government allocations from the time of the award to close out. Each investigator is assigned a Post Award Specialist.
  • Draw down of sponsor awards, monitor award expenditure and compliance with institutional and sponsor financial policies.

General Oversight of Post Award Financial Management

Contact:

To find your Post Award Specialist

Contact the Post Award Coordinator, rbailey@llu.edu /x44589

Contracts

  • Initiation, review and approval of research-related contracts (collaborative, subcontracts, amendments, confidentiality, material transfer, data agreements, professional service agreements, Federally-funded clinical trials, etc.)

rracontract@llu.edu / x44831
Contact Ashton Lawrence, Contract Analyst, aslawrence@llu.edu / x87912

  • Assist faculty with clinical trial preparation
  • Initiation, review, approval of clinical trial contracts

HUMAN STUDIES

Human Research & Compliance (including IRB)

  • IRB Administrator
  • IRB applications for Administrative (Expedited or Exempt) Review
  • Determination of Non-Human Subject Research
  • Submission of new applications to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) 
  • Deadlines for committee submission, status of applications
  • Scheduling appointments and consultations

Contact:

Research Conflict of Interest

  • Research conflict of interest disclosures and evaluations

Contact Debs Gonsalez Guerrero, Administrative Secretary / x85794, researchcoi@llu.edu for COI forms and correspondence, dgonsalezguerrero@llu.edu for other communications.

ANIMAL STUDIES

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)

  • Submission of applications to IACUC
  • Consultations for IACUC reviews (except the two days after each IACUC meeting)
  • Status of Change Requests or Renewal Requests for animal research
  • Alternate to the director for general administration

Contact Obed B. Rutebuka, IACUC Administrator [Research Affairs - Research Protections Programs (RPP)], orutebuka@llu.edu or IACUC@llu.edu / x87130

Animal Care Facility

[coming soon]

RESEARCH TRAINING AND EDUCATION

  • Human Subjects Protections Certification
  • Curriculum and Course Development

INVENTIONS AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES

Technology transfer (TT) and commercialization activities for intellectual property created by any entity affiliated with Loma Linda University.

  • Disclosure of new discoveries and inventions
  • Filing and prosecution of patents
  • Evaluating intellectual property for commercial potential
  • Negotiate licensing contracts
  • Payment of patent expenses and distribution of royalty income

Contact:

  • Michael Samarzija, PhD, JD, Vice President for Research Administration, msamardzija@llu.edu /x15920
  • Research Affairs - Technology Transfer,  x87184 
  • Zoran Zivanovic, Manager, Innovative Business Development, / x15089 (zzivanovic@llu.edu)
  • Tracy Lozano, Administrative Assistant, tlozano@llu.edu / x44831

RESEARCH COMPLIANCE 

  • Auditing or monitoring clinical trials, investigator-initiated studies and other research activities 
  • Assist with registering trials with Clinicaltrials.gov, passwords and questions
  • Investigation of alleged research misconduct and research complaints
  • Coordination of research-related education requirements
  • Assist in preparing sites for external audits, such as FDA audits

Contact:

RESOLVING A RESEARCH SERVICE PROBLEM

Pre Award Services

Contact Cindy Dickson, Director Pre Award Services, cdickson@llu.edu / x44571

Post Award Services

Contact Stacey Moya, Director Post Award, smoya@llu.edu / x49407

Human Studies

  • Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Contact Amy Casey, Director Human Research & Compliance, acasey@llu.edu / x44531

Invention and Intellectual Property

Contact Zoran Zivanovic, Manager - Innovative Business Development (n3eight) zzivanovic@llu.edu / x87184