Our Research Team
James Clark, MD
Medical Director
Dr. James Clark is board certified in Internal Medicine and completed his residency at the University of Virginia followed by a fellowship in Primary Care Sports Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. He moved to Charlottesville in 1997 where he was in private practice and was the President and Medical Director of Medfit Wellness Center, a full service wellness center. In 2002, Dr. Clark became an investigator for Charlottesville Medical Research managing clinical research studies such as fibromyalgia, migraines, and osteoarthritis. Dr. Clark has completed over 200 clinical trials at the center, and in 2016 he assumed the role of Owner and Medical Director of Charlottesville Medical Research Center LLC.
Caryn Gibson, PA
Caryn Gibson is a Physician Assistant with a Bachelor of Arts, with a major in Biology, from St. Mary’s College of Maryland and PA certification through Essex Community College. She moved to Charlottesville in 2005 and has been a Sub Investigator on over 85 studies with CMR. Prior to joining Charlottesville Medical Research, Caryn served as OB/GYN Physician Assistant in Glen Burnie, MD. Caryn’s research focus is internal medicine and women’s health.
Geoffrey S. Keenan, MD
Dr. Geoffrey S. Keenan is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. As a Physiatrist, Dr. Keenan is trained in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal and neurologic pain in injures using a variety of modalities. He practiced medicine in the Navy for eight years, where he worked with the Navy SEALs and then later ran a multidisciplinary rehabilitation clinic. An avid athlete, more recently he ran the sports medicine program for the Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital in Portland, Oregon. He completed his residency at the University of Virginia, where he was chief resident. Research focus is rheumatology and joint pain.
Daniel Pambianco, MD
Dr. Daniel Pambianco is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology and is a Fellow in the American College of Gastroenterology. He is a Certified Physician Investigator by the Academy of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Investigators. Initially, Dr. Pambianco founded CGA Clinical Research, affiliated with the private practice of Charlottesville Gastroenterology Associates. In 2000 he developed a regional network of private practice and community hospital physicians to conduct clinical trials in multi-therapeutic areas under the new name of Charlottesville Medical Research (CMR). Dr. Pambianco was owner and Medical Director of CMR through December 2015. Dr. Pambianco continues to serve as an Investigator with research focus being gastroenterology and internal medicine.
Akhtar Purvez, MD
Dr. Akhtar Purvez is a board certified interventional pain physician who completed a residency in anesthesiology at Boston University and a fellowship in pain medicine at the University of Virginia. He trained as a head and neck surgeon in India and has a decade of experience in this field. He has been in pain practice since 2002. Prior to his current role as Managing Director of the Pain & Spine Center of Charlottesville, Dr. Purvez served as Medical Director of Centra’s Center For Pain Management. Dr. Purvez is certified by the American Board of Pain Medicine, the American Board of Anesthesiology certification in Pain Medicine, and the American Board of Disability Analysts. Research focus is chronic pain.
Michelle Sabol, PA
Michelle Sabol is a board certified Physician Assistant with a major in Biology/Pre-Med from Messiah College and a Master of Clinical Medical Science from Barry University where she received her Physician Assistant degree in 2008. She moved to Charlottesville in 2022 and joined Charlottesville Medical Research as a Sub Investigator. Prior to joining CMR, she served in Neonatology for thirteen years as a Physician Assistant at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC and Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT. Her research focus includes vaccination trials, migraines, and internal medicine.
Clinical Team
Silvia Park, C.C.R.C
Clinical Manager Research Coordinator
Mary Esplin Claros
Research Coordinator
Janaya Robertson, C.N.A
Research Coordinator
Jamie Owed, RPh
Research Coordinator
Emily Hawkins, C.N.A., R.M.A., P.B.T.
Research Assistant
Laboratory Manager
Ann Martin, C.N.A.
Research Assistant
Adrianna Doggett, C.N.A.
Research Coordinator
Paula Clark
Regulatory Specialist/Monitor Experience
Kim Drake
Administrative Assistant
Kelly Pitts, M.B.A
Marketing and Recruitment Manager
Ashley Simons
Subject Recruiter Specialist
Joseph Christian
Subject Recruiter Specialist
