The Center for Neurosciences is Southern Arizona’s largest and longest-standing neuroscience medical practice. Our aim is to deliver the highest standard of neurological care – the same level of care we would want for ourselves or our loved ones. The Center has a dedicated Clinical Research Program with six principal investigators and a full-time research nurse. Collectively, our investigators have vast experience conducting phase II through phase IV clinical trials in a broad range of neurologic diseases affecting adults and children.
Research Experience
Our investigators and staff have vast experience conducting clinical trials in collaboration with pharmaceutical and biotech companies of all sizes. Some of investigator’s specialize in device trials as well. Our Site has worked with all the major Contract Research Organizations and Institutional Review Boards. We focus on the following therapeutic areas: Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and other dementias, brain tumors, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ear and hearing disorders, headache/migraine, and Parkinson’s disease.
Investigator Experience
Adult Neurology
Michael Badruddoja, MD is a Board-certified Neurologist with Fellowship training in Neuro-Oncology. His special interest is in the treatment of malignant glioma and he has been the Principal Investigator on multiple phase II glioblastoma multiforme clinical trials. He is also a Principal Investigator on Alzheimer’s disease trials.
Francisco Valdivia, MD is a board-certified neurologist who is also a certified Multiple Sclerosis Specialist and a member of the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. He is a Principal Investigator on several Multiple Sclerosis trials, the Medical Director of Stroke at St. Mary’s Hospital and a fluent Spanish speaker.
Neurosurgery
Abhay Sanan, MD is Board-certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and completed his fellowship in Skull Base/Cerebrovascular Surgery. He is the Chief of Neurosurgery at Northwest Medical Center and St. Mary’s Hospital. Dr. Sanan is also a Principal Investigator for neurological trials including various therapeutic trials
Pediatric Neurology
Dinesh Talwar, MD is a Board-certified Child Neurologist and Clinical Neurophysiologist. He is Fellowship trained in EEG and Neurophysiology. Dr. Talwar’s special interests include childhood epilepsy and migraine. He is Principal Investigator on multiple pediatric epilepsy and migraine trials.
Patient Demographics
With more than 200 patient visits per day, the Center for Neurosciences has an extensive patient base from which to draw. Not only do we serve the metropolitan Tucson area, but also serve smaller communities throughout the state of Arizona through our satellite clinics. We reach approximately 1.5 million people in Southern Arizona.
Our region has a culturally and ethnically diverse patient population that breaks down as follows: 60% Caucasian, 30% Hispanic, 3% African American, 3% Native American, and 3% Asian. Two of our principal investigators and our site director speak fluent Spanish.
Other Information
The Center for Neurosciences has worked with many central Independent Review Boards (IRBs), including Copernicus, Sterling, Quorum and Schulman. For hospital-based studies, we have experience with the Carondelet Health Network Human Subjects Committee. We offer efficient study start-up. Contracts are typically executed within 30 days of receipt and centralized IRB approvals are obtained within two to three weeks.