Science behind the care: Clinical research at OSU-CHS
Monday, May 19, 2025
Media Contact: Kayley Spielbusch | Digital Communications Specialist | 918-561-5759 | kspielb@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences clinical research team is paving the way for advancements in medical care.
Clinical research, which is celebrated nationally on May 20, examines the safety and effectiveness of medical interventions in humans.
“There is nothing we have today to care for patients that did not begin in clinical research. Without clinical research, we would not have the standard for quality care and patient outcomes that we do today,” said Candida Barlow, Ph.D., director of clinical research at OSU-CHS.
Barlow has over 25 years of clinical research experience and has contributed to more than 600 clinical trials. At OSU-CHS, she and her team collaborate with physicians and clinical departments to advance patient care. Their work includes medical drug and device clinical trials, specifically phase II and post-market analysis.
Clinical trials are conducted in four phases. After the treatment is tested on a small group to examine safety and side effects, phase II tests the treatment on a larger population so researchers can gather more safety data.
Angie Millington, clinical research coordinator at OSU-CHS, explained the importance of clinical trial phases.
“The results of one study don’t mean anything. You need to be able to redeem those results in different groups of people. Even if they have the same diagnosis, they’re in a different part of the country or the world, so there are lots of criteria to meet,” Millington said.
OSU-CHS’ clinical research team has participated in trials across numerous fields, including cardiology, endocrinology, infectious diseases and neurology, to name a few.
Offering clinical trials benefits both patients and OSU-CHS students. Without clinical research at the university, many Oklahomans would not have access to cutting-edge research and interventional care, otherwise only available on the East or West coasts.
"There is nothing we have today to care for patients that did not begin in clinical
research. Without clinical research, we would not have the standard for quality care
and patient outcomes that we do today."
“Patients can stay home with loved ones and still participate in a clinical trial and receive multimodalities of care. The benefit extends to our medical students as well. They can learn and practice alongside our lead clinical trial investigators, learning firsthand how to conduct and engage in federally regulated clinical trials with human research subjects,” Barlow said.
Both Barlow and Millington emphasized the importance of integrity in clinical research.
“Our patients are somebody’s loved one, a fellow human. The quality of work we do and the ethical safety of our engagement with patients truly change the course of the future for everyone,” Barlow said.
Millington said it’s important for institutions like OSU-CHS to be involved with research because people look to them to be on the cutting edge of medicine. She also sees the impact clinical trials can have on her patients.
“I find it really rewarding to see it make a big difference in their lives. People appreciate you taking the extra interest and time in their welfare, and for some of them, these treatments can be life-changing,” she said.
Barlow said she is thankful for her team and excited to continue seeing clinical research grow at OSU-CHS.
“My passion in life is clinical research. I am beyond elated to be at OSU-CHS with individuals who share that passion, and I am truly excited to see our team and providers continue to grow,” she said. “Being able to engage with clinical research at home on Oklahoma soil is the most rewarding part of what I do.”