Medical Director, GHUCCTS Hub Liaison Team: Seble Kassaye, MD, MS
Dr. Kassaye, is an Infectious Diseases specialist and epidemiologist, and tenured Associate Professor of Medicine at Georgetown University. Her research spans the translational spectrum, from the molecular epidemiology of HIV including drug resistance; long-term outcomes and comorbidities among persons with HIV, particularly in women; and prevention of HIV including during pregnancy. She has conducted implementation science research globally and supported novel privacy-assured technology initiatives to support clinical services and public health initiatives in HIV and more recently with COVID-19. Dr. Kassaye is the contact PI for the DC MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS), and served as the co-chair for the MWCCS executive committee during the formative period of the merger of these two historic multi-site national HIV cohorts. She is also the site PI for the more recently established cohort of younger women living with HIV in the southern U.S. (STAR cohort). She was the site PI for a multi-site national study led by Johns Hopkins University and supported by the CTSA Trial Innovation Network (TIN) to determine the efficacy of convalescent plasma for early treatment and prevention of COVID-19. As part of her role in the GHUCCTS she leads the Hub Liaison Team, and supports investigators in study design, protocol development, and provides her expertise in participant recruitment and retention, community engagement and outreach. She is the point of contact with the CTSA-funded Trial Innovation Network. Dr. Kassaye sees patients at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital covering the general and transplant services on the inpatient service, and maintains an active outpatient clinic practice.
Expertise: Infectious Diseases, HIV/AIDS, Epidemiology, Medical Education
Research Techniques: Translational Research, Clinical Trials, Observational Cohorts.
Interests: Infectious Diseases, Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Outcomes Research, Health Communications, Health Equity, Medical Education
Language(s):
English (Speak Read Write)
Amharic (Speak Read Write)
Operations Director: Wendy Enriquez
Wendy Enriquez manages the overall programmatic and operational responsibilities of the Hub Liaison Team, assigning duties and coordinating with departments within the MedStar Health system and GHUCCTS partner institutions and service providers to ensure synergy and effective service provision. Wendy nurtures our relationship with the Trial Innovation Network and supports investigators’ access to TIN-supported studies. Wendy supports the implementation of participant recruitment strategies to include diverse populations, the adaptation and utilization of social media platforms, and community engagement activities.
Language(s):
English (Speak Read Write)
Spanish (Speak Read Write)
Informatics Lead
Stephen Fernandez, MPH: As the Informatics Lead for the Trial Innovation Network, Stephen Fernandez, MPH provides services for PI’s and MHRI investigators by providing data through various EMR Systems within MedStar.
As the manager of MedStar Health Research Institute’s Biomedical Informatics team, he develops and oversees the implementation of site management and monitoring functions, including developing data management plans, creating databases, assigning project tasks, ensuring the sites are monitored and contacted as outlined in the site monitoring plan, reviewing and approving visit reports, and providing feedback to the Clinical Research Associates at each site regarding site performance and/or additional training needs.
Additional Team Members
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- Finie Richardson, PhD, MPH (HU)
- Florencia Gonzales (HU)
- Chad League, JD (MHRI)
- Marie Therese (Terry) Jeffs, RN (GU, CRU)
- Yejide Obisesan (HU)
- Justin Hughes (MHRI)
- Claudia Gunawan (DAVAMC)
- Tolu Ijayekunle (DCVAMC)
- Angie Wilkis (GU)
- Tonya Bishop (MHRI)
- Marjorie Gondre-Lewis (HU)
- Thomas Mellman, MD (HU)
- Neil Weissman, MD (MHRI)
- Marc Blackman, MD (DCVAMC)
- Joseph Verbalis, MD (GU)