Sunita Patil

am currently a Associate Director-Research Operations with almost 15 years of demonstrated clinical research success. I serve as a mentor to individuals conducting clinical, translational, and qualitative research as part of the Duke community, which includes faculty, postdoctoral fellows, trainees, medical students, and clinical operations staff. I was instrumental in implementing the DOCR study design and grant planning services across the institution. I also serve as a navigator, answering a variety of questions from researchers at all stages of their careers and providing onboarding services to new investigators. I keep abreast of new information and Duke-wide policy updates regarding medical research, particularly pertaining to the IRB and National Institutes of Health, so that I can provide appropriate and timely advice to faculty and research staff. My current position enables me to connect my clients to resources at Duke that will support and facilitate their research efforts. This experience has helped me further develop my communication skills as well as a good sense of timeliness and discernment for providing the right amount of assistance. My ideas have been instrumental in shaping the development and success of the study planning, onboarding and navigation program.