Advanced Dermatology Partners with Optima Research for New Boardman Location

BOARDMAN, Ohio – Advanced Dermatology is expanding its practice through a partnership with Optima Research to do clinical trials.

The partnership came together when Advanced Dermatology co-founder Dr. Patrick Shannon decided to venture into dermatology research for the next stage of his career and Optima Research was looking to expand into Ohio.

“I had done some small areas of research in my years [at Advanced Dermatology], but this will be new. I had interest for years in getting involved with [clinical research], I just never really had an opportunity until the last two years,” Shannon said.

He will take on the title principal investigator, handling all clinical trials at Optima Research, focusing on trials for different types of new dermatology medications.

Joining Shannon in this venture is sub-investigator Sarah Marlinski, a nurse practitioner.

“[Optima] will have clinical trials for new medications before they can go to market and get their FDA approval. We [will] evaluate the medications to make sure that they are safe and that they are effective,” said Marlinski.

The trials will take place at Advanced Dermatology’s office at 1039 Boardman-Canfield Road. They will test medications for common dermatologic conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, alopecia areata and congenital ichthyosis.

The office will initially employ three, with plans to expand as more trials are secured. The investment to bring a clinical research office to Advanced Dermatology was about $250,000, according to Shannon.

Prior to her work at Optima, Marlinski worked as a nurse practitioner in family medicine primary care and as a registered nurse in the emergency and operating rooms at Southwoods surgical hospital, Mercy Health and UPMC.

Both Shannon and Marlinski expressed their excitement to be involved in innovative clinical dermatology research.

“We are getting involved in medications that don’t currently exist in the marketplace. [Our research] will range from new innovations in topical therapy to [treatments] in the pill form, injectables and potentially some cosmetic [treatments] down the road,” said Shannon.

Jamie McCallister, director of clinical research operations for Optima Research in the Indiana Clinical Trial Center, was instrumental in preparing the new Boardman office.

“I have been involved from the very beginning,” she said, “from the floor plan, to what equipment we need, to the staffing, to the onboarding, to the training, to bringing on sponsors.”

Alerting potential pharmaceutical sponsors to the existence of the new site is crucial to obtain clinical trials. A sponsor could be any major pharmaceutical company that produces dermatological medicines, such as Pfizer, McCallister added.

Additionally, this partnership will allow new advanced medications to be brought to the Valley that will help underserved populations who may be dealing with complicated dermatology related medical conditions.

Pictured from left: Jamie McCallister, Sarah Marlinski, Dr. Patrick Shannon, Carol Lovash and Nikki Mosley

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