Our Research Team
James Clark, MD
Owner and CEO
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 175 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 65 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.
William Grant, MD
Dr. William Grant is a board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon who completed Orthopedic Residency at the University of Virginia in 1989. He completed Fellowship Training at the Jackson Orthopedic Clinic in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and at the Hughston Sports Medicine Center in Columbus, Georgia. He has been in private practice since 1990 and established Albemarle Orthopedics, PLC. Dr. Grant has published research involving cartilage/collagen programming associated with fracture healing and the growth plate. Research focus is osteoarthritis as well as ligament and meniscal conditions of the knee and shoulder.
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.
Clinical Team
Silvia Park, C.C.R.C
Clinical Manager Research Coordinator
Jennifer Kastello, PhD, R.N.
Research Coordinator
Letisia Allen-Waddy, L.P.N.
Research Coordinator
Janaya Robertson, C.N.A
Research Coordinator
Mary Esplin Claros
Research Coordinator
Jamie Owed, RPh
Research Coordinator
Beatrice Cole, R.N.
Research Pharmacist
Suzanne Wentworth, R.N.
Research Pharmacist
Emily Hawkins, C.N.A., R.M.A., P.B.T.
Research Assistant
Laboratory Manager
Lisa Amory
Administrative Manager
Deborah Morris
Administrative Assistant
Paula Clark
Regulatory Specialist
Kim Drake
Administrative Assistant
Kelly Pitts
Marketing and Recruitment Manager
Jordon Riojas
Subject Recruiter Specialist
Valerie Lopez
Subject Recruiter Specialist
