Our clinical faculty engage in research on a wide variety of cancer types to provide the highest quality cancer treatment. It’s a collaborative effort. We work with cancer biologists and medical physicists to investigate ways to improve cancer care. Patients play an essential role as well by participating in clinical trials and allowing us to collect and study their tissue samples. Our retrospective research—review of the treatments and outcomes of our patients—offers insights that could provide the basis for clinical trials that drive advances in cancer care.
Department of Human Oncology Clinical Research Staff
Diana Trask, BS, Program Manager, Radiation Oncology Clinical Research Group:
I have been involved in clinical research for more than 23 years. I started my career in clinical research at Washington University in St Louis, Mo. In 1998, my family and I moved home to Madison and I joined the UW research team, coordinating research trials for the Department of Human Oncology. Since joining the UW team, I have been involved in numerous multi-disciplinary trials that encompass NCI-funded trials, investigator-initiated trials and industry trials. I am proud to manage this fabulous team of dedicated and experienced coordinators. My favorite part of the job is seeing our efforts in clinical trials research result in new and improved standard of care treatments for cancer patients.
Nick Anger, BS, Study Coordinator:
I started my career in research while completing my undergraduate degree at UW-Madison, working with the Ophthalmology Department as a data specialist. After graduation in 2006, I joined the Department of Human Oncology as a data manager. My role was eventually expanded to include the local coordination of NCI-funded, investigator-initiated,and industry-funded clinical trials as well as quality assurance and credentialing for radiotherapy treatment machines, database management and oversight of multi-institutional investigator-initiated trials. I enjoy the opportunity to work with talented researchers and to be part of the process of bringing innovative ideas and technologies to the forefront of medicine.
Belinda Buehl, BS, Study Coordinator:
I started my research career more than 15 years ago, working with animals at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center as a microbiological research technician working in the BSL3 lab. I also worked in industry as well as for the UW-School of Veterinary Medicine and the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center. I moved on to work with the IACUC at the Medical College of Wisconsin, which later led to working with the Human Research Protection Program. In 2011, I started working at the UWCCC in the central office and in 2014 joined the Department of Human Oncology Clinical Research Team as the regulatory specialist. I ensure adherence to federal, state, and local regulations throughout the lifecycle of each clinical research project.
Heather Geye, MS, Head & Neck Cancer Database Manager:
I have served as the Head and Neck Cancer Database Manager since 2007. I meet all of the new head and neck cancer patients and obtain informed consent from them to include them in the Head and Neck Cancer Database that Dr. Harari started in 1990. I update and maintain the 3,900+ patient database. In addition, I assist faculty and residents with the regulatory requirements in the institutional review board process of human subjects research.
Cathy Kraemer, BS, Study Coordinator:
I started my career in clinical research in 1992 working with Dr. Paul Carbone at the UW. Over the years I have worked on different aspects of clinical trials including working with the Pharmaceutical Research Center helping ensure investigational drugs were received, stored and handled per sponsor and federal guidelines. One of the more memorable trials I was involved in was the conduction of the original herceptin trial at the UW. For that trial patients entered a national “lottery” to be selected for the innovative therapy. One of the reasons I have remained in clinical research is that I enjoy working with patients and helping them navigate through their cancer treatment.