Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) at USC

• Obtain history, review of systems, medication reconciliation, and perform physical exams and clinical assessments 
• Order and interpret labs/diagnostics, medications, durable medical equipment, referrals
• Assist with data collection
• Screen participants and obtain consent
• Assist with clinical management (i.e. management of AEs and SAEs)

• Common Clinical Procedures
  • Vital signs, height, weight, BSA
  • Blood draws via direct venipuncture, peripheral IV, and central line, including serial blood sampling for PK and PD samples. 
  • Blood glucose via finger stick
  • Urine pregnancy test
  • Body fluid collections (buccal swab, urine, stool, or sputum).
• Administration of medications and investigational drugs/products 
  • Routes include oral, topical, intramuscular & subcutaneous injections, intravenous, inhalation)
  • Chemotherapy (routes include oral, inhalation, SQ and IV infusions).
  • Administration of IV fluids
• Cardiac assessments
  • Single, triplicate, serial 12- lead ECG (no interpretation)
  • Holter monitoring and telemonitoring
• CTU Body composition services:
  • DEXA scan of whole body composition, hip, and/or spine.
  • Waist-hip circumference.
  • Skin fold measurement (per site)
• Patient observation

• Specimen processing (blood, hair follicle, stool, saliva)
  • Serum/plasma separation
  • Aliquoting
• Processing via refrigerated centrifuge, microcentrifuge
• Whole blood without processing (no centrifugation)
• Urine or 24 hour urine collection
• Hematology slides (blood smear)
• Buffy coat separation
• WBC from Whole Blood
• Serum/plasma ultrafiltrate
• Quantiferon Gold
• Short term storage in -80 deg C freezer, -20 deg C freezer, and/or small incubator
• Labelling, shipping, and handling

• Blood transfusion
• Procedures that require moderate sedation or deeper sedation
• PMBC isolation with cell counts
• Glucose analysis using YSI glucose analyzer*
• Unable to do any processing that requires fume hoods, microscope or cell counter

* For services not offered, feel free to contact us for further guidance as there may be other possible anxillary services to coordinate with.