BRI participates in a wide range of activities, including basic science research; device development and testing; and Phase I, II, III and IV clinical trails. For the past 11 years Borgess Research Institute has performed clinical trials in a wide range of therapeutic areas, including:

• Sleep Health
• Cardiovascular
• Emergency Services
• Neurology
• Endocrinology/Diabetes
• Neurosurgery
• Trauma Services
• Gastroenterology
• Interventional Neurology
• Pre-clinical

Borgess Research works with over 100 physicians in the Kalamazoo area, both as Principal Investigators and Sub-Investigators. Experienced medical directors guide research activities in each area. These medical experts are committed to the research that is conducted at BRI. Combined, Borgess' medical directors have nearly a century of experience in basic science research, device development and clinical trials. This team of professionals has received numerous research grants and awards, written hundreds of papers published in peer review journals, held several faculty positions, presented at conferences worldwide and authored multiple book chapters.

Listed below are our active Principal Investigators:

Phillip M. Green, MD, MPA, FAAN, FAES, FAHA. Dr. Green is board certified in neurology by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is board qualified in EEG and a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Electroencephalographer's Society. He is also a fellow of the Stroke Council of the American Heart Association. Dr. Green has been an active researcher for over 20 years, participating in nearly 50 Phase II, III and IV clinical trials.

Rashmi Kothari, MD, ACEP chairs the Stroke Task Force of the American Heart Association National ACLS Subcommittee. He is currently a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Neuron Therapeutics, Inc. Dr Kothari has published numerous articles, book chapters and abstracts as well as serving as a reviewer for several journals. Dr. Kothari is also a board examiner of the American Board of Emergency Medicine. He has participated in 11 stroke research grants totaling more than $7 million dollars. The NIH has made five of these grants.

Richard Dirrenberger, MD is a board certified Neurosurgeon. His primary area of focus is brain tumor therapy. He has also participated in pharmacological and device-related neurosurgical studies for Parkinson's disease and spine surgery.

Mark J. Krinock, MD is a board certified Neurosurgeon. A spine specialist, Dr. Krinock has participated in device trials involving Degenerative Disc Disease and Spinal Fusion. He has also participated in pharmacological studies associated with spine surgery.

Tim A. Fischell, MD is the inventor or co-inventor of more than 60-patented medical devices. He has been the principal investigator for more than 20 device and drug studies. Dr. Fischell is a frequent international lecturer and the author of more than 60 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, 20 book chapters and 80 abstracts. Dr. Fischell is board certified in internal medicine with a subspecialty in cardiology and board certified in interventional cardiology.

Vishal Gupta, MD, MPH is a specialist in vascular and cardiac interventions. He has been the principal investigator for numerous studies for devices and drugs. He has authored various peer reviewed research papers and book chapters. He is presently the Director of Medical Device Research Lab, Associate Director for Borgess Research Institute and Interventional Cardiovascular Fellowship Program.

Mark Goetting, MD is a nationally renowned, board-certified physician who specializes in sleep disorders. Dr. Goetting has received education, teaching and medical honors, including multiple listings in Best Doctors in America. He has been published extensively in the areas of critical care, pediatrics, neurology and sleep disorders. Dr. Goetting is a member of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the Child Neurology Society, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the Narcolepsy Network, and the American Academy of Neurology, Emergency and Critical Care Section.

Michael Valitutto, DO received his Doctor of Osteopathy degree from the University of Osteopathic Medicine and Health Sciences in Des Moines, IA and completed his residency at St. John's Hospital in Detroit, MI. Dr. Valitutto is board certified in Internal Medicine. He is the principal investigator for diabetes studies conducted on the Borgess Medical Center campus, as well as a sub-investigator for diabetic neuropathy. He has been the principal investigator in numerous diabetes studies over the past 10 years.

Tarun Sharma, MD is a board certified Gastroenterologist. Dr. Sharma is a member of the International Society for the Study of Diseases of the Esophagus, American Neurogastroenterology Motility Society and the Kalamazoo Academy of Medicine. He has published numerous articles in medical journals, as well as presented at many local, regional and national conferences.

Brij Dewan, MD has participated in research for over 20 years and is board certified in Gastroenterology. He is a member of the American Medical Association, American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association, American Federation of Medical Research and the Michigan State Medical Society.

Mark A. Noffsinger, M.D. received his Bachelor's Degree in 1978 from Wabash College, which he attended on a football scholarship, graduating summa cum laude in 1982. He received his Doctorate from Indiana University graduating with Honors and served as a student body representative to the American Medical Association. Dr. Noffsinger participated in a special missionary medicine rotation in Kenya, East Africa.

Dr. Noffsinger completed his internship and Orthopaedic service as chief resident in 1982 at Southwest Michigan Area Health Education Center. He was honored as Resident Teacher of the Year for 1983. Dr. Noffsinger spent two months during his residency with Dr. Charles Rockwood in San Antonio, Texas, receiving research awards. He has been an invited speaker for Orthopaedic Forums both National and Internationally, being honored as visiting professor.

Thomas G. Ryan, M.D. graduated summa cum laude from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree. He received his medical degree from Wayne State University, School of Medicine, graduating in 1983 with high distinction. He received the Distinguish Service Award and was a member of the AOA Honorary Medical Society. Dr. Ryan completed his Orthopaedic surgery residency at Southwest Michigan Area Health Education Center in 1988. Dr. Ryan is a member of the Borgess/Bronson orthopaedic teaching staff in Kalamazoo, and is an assistant clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Kalamazoo. Dr. Ryan is board certified with the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Ryan received the Michigan State University Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies Orthopaedic Surgery Excellence in Teaching Award in 2001. He was also selected fro inclusion in consumers research Council of American's Guide to Americas Top Surgeons for 2002-2003.

Todd L. Ream, M.D. graduated with a Bachelors degree with honors from Northern Illinois University followed by the completion of his Medical Training from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine graduating with honors. Dr. Ream completed his Orthopaedic residency at Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies in Kalamazoo. Dr. Ream is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and is a member of the Borgess/Bronson teaching staff in Kalamazoo. He board certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and practices general orthopaedic surgery with special interest in trauma total joint replacement and arthroscopy. He has received additional training in the area of foot and ankle surgery, minimally invasive and computer assisted joint replacement surgery. Dr. Ream places special emphasis on treating all patients with dignity and compassion, while educating patients on both surgical and nonsurgical options for their orthopaedic needs.

Christopher W. Uggen, M.D. received his Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan in 1998 and Medical degree from the UCLA School of Medicine in 2002. After finishing a five year Orthopaedic Surgery Residency at LIJ/North Shore Medical Center in New York, Dr. Uggen did one year of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Fellowship at the prestigious Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles. He has traveled to Basel, Switzerland for an AO Orthopaedic Trauma Fellowship while there; he trained under internationally renowned leaders in fracture care and orthopaedic polytrauma. Dr. Uggen's novel research on the use of growth factors to enhance tendon healing has been presented in several orthopaedic journals and textbooks. He is an active member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine, and the Arthroscopy Association of North America.

Sue Hendrick, RN, CCRC
Manager, Cardiovascular Research
9 year's experience in clinical research

Julie Bouma, RN, CCRC
Nurse Lead Coordinator
22 years experience in clinical research

Erin Hunt, BS, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator III
11 years experience in clinical research

Ruth Rauch, RN, BSN, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator III
7 years experience in clinical research

Brad Allen, BS, ADN, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator III
10 years experience in clinical research

Sarah Walker, BS, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator III
8 years experience in clinical research

Rebecca Timpe, RN, BS, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator III
10 years experience in clinical research

Nancy DeKoff, RN, BS, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator II
2 years experience in clinical research

Darlene McNaab, RN, CRC
Clinical Research Coordinator II
1 year experience in clinical research

Sandy Wilson, RN, BSN, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator II
2 years experience in clinical research

Beth Drew, RN, CCRC
Clinical Research Coordinator II
2 years experience in clinical research

Debbie Hotchkiss, MFR, BLS Certified
Associate Clinical Research Coordinator II
9 years experience in clinical research

Lynn Kiewiet, CRC
Associate Clinical Research Coordinator II
6 years experience in clinical research

Kevin Packard, BA, CRC
2 years Clinical Research Coordinator

Christine McNett, CCRC
Senior Regulatory Document Specialist
11 years experience in clinical research

Cathy Ross
Senior Regulatory Document Specialist
20 years experience in clinical research

Our clinical research coordinators are on-call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for investigators and patients. Coordinators are certified in the shipment of dangerous goods (IATA.)

Borgess Health is a Kalamazoo-based integrated health system serving a 10-county area in southwest and south central Michigan with more than 130 sites of care. The system's flagship, Borgess Medical Center, is a 424 bed tertiary care hospital offering more than 40 specialties. Borgess Health also includes seven additional owned or affiliated community hospitals, one nursing home, ambulatory care facilities, home health care, physician practices, managed care services, a cancer center and a medical helicopter service. Borgess Health is a member of Ascension Health, which includes 75 Acute-Care, Long-Term Acute-Care, Rehabilitation and Psychiatric Hospitals in 19 States and the District of Columbia.

Cardiology/Vascular Diseases
Endocrinology
Gastroenterology
Musculoskeletal
Neurology
Trauma/Emergency Medicine