OUR TEAM

NORI places a high priority on its commitment to the advancement of medical research. Our team of physician specialists has a prestigious history of active participation with leading academic research institutions such as Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary’s affiliated Schepens Eye Research Institute, where they serve on the clinical faculty. The physicians of the National Ophthalmic Research Institute are all members of the American Society of Retina Specialists, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and the American Medical Association. In addition to our highly respected team of investigators, NORI employs the largest full-time, certified ophthalmic research staff in Southwest Florida.

Investigators

Research Team

• Cheryl Kiesel, CCRC,CDOS,ROUB,COA – Research Director & Clinical Research Coordinator
• Eileen Knips, RN, CCRC, CRA, COA – Clinical Research Coordinator & Imaging Specialist
• Crystal Peters, CCRC – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Kristi Maro, CRCC – Clinical Research Coordinator
• Ray Kiesel – Imaging & IT Specialist
• Julie Eaton, LPN – Imaging Specialist
• Anita Leslie, COA – Visual Acuity Technician
• Amanda Petersen – Visual Acuity Technician

In addition to our highly respected team of investigators, NORI employs the largest full-time, certified ophthalmic research staff in Southwest Florida. The doctors and staff of NORI have been involved in over 125 clinical trials which helped bring several drugs to FDA approval including the blockbusters Lucentis and Eylea.

Our Staff Includes:

2 ETDRS Refraction and Visual Acuity Technicians who are certified with agencies including, but not limited to EMMES, Touchstone, CertifEYEd, ClinEdge, and JAEB.

3 Ophthalmic Imagers who are certified with agencies including, but not limited to Duke, DARC, DIRC, FPRC, DRCR, SITT, RIRRC, and BPRC Reading Centers.

1 Dedicated Patient Recruiter

4 Clinical Research Coordinators

Our staff has over a century combined experience in the field of retinal care. They are all well-trained and very capable of guiding patients through the clinical research process.

NORI prides itself in staff that is dedicated to collecting accurate data and simultaneously providing superior customer care. Our patient advocate role allows us to put safety first and treat each patient with respect, warmth and importance. Our focus is our patient’s well-being.

Our staff adheres to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) and Good Clinical Practice (GCP). They are trained in Protection of Human Subjects and maintain HIPAA compliance. All clinical staff members are Healthcare Provider Life Support certified by the American Heart Association and each coordinator is certified or is working toward certification through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals.

Clinical Research success greatly depends on following the Code of Federal Regulations overseen by the FDA. Each member of the NORI team is well-versed in these guidelines and they recently demonstrated their proficiency in a successful FDA audit.