Recruitment and Retention Center (RRC)

Established in 2015 to assist study teams with the assessment of study recruitment feasibility and ways to maximize participant retention, the Recruitment and Retention Unit covers all stages of clinical trial and health research study design. The team is composed of PhD and MD investigators, a nurse manager, an administration and finance professional, and research coordinators. 

We have expertise in recruiting patients across the age spectrum, including populations representing minorities and health disparities. Our resources for investigators include patient and community advisory groups and message templates for contacting study participants. We also train investigators to use Epic and the ResearchMatch volunteer registry to find study participants and perform feasibility research to generate study hypotheses.

The unit is co-directed by Scott E. Sherman, MD, MPH, Shonna Yin, MD, and Aisha Langford, MPH, PhD. Program coordinator Celina Rodriguez manages the daily operations of the unit. 

Contact Us

For more information or questions about these services, contact Celina Rodriguez at Celina.Rodriguez@NYULangone.org.

Integrating Special Populations (ISP)

The Integrating Special Populations Unit provides resources for conducting research in special populations, specifically pediatric and geriatric cohorts, racial and ethnic minorities, and those with health disparities. Our goal is to enhance understanding of the needs of these populations, as well as promoting and disseminating best practices for clinical and translational research in these population groups. 

We currently provide consultation services, seminars, workshops, and training; assist with grant development; and facilitate community-based collaboration. 

The unit consists of three working groups that aim to foster collaboration and enhance special populations research with clinical partners and other stakeholder partners: 

  • the geriatrics workgroup, co-led by Scott E. Sherman, MD, MPH
  • the pediatrics workgroup, led by Shonna Yin, MD
  • the health disparities and minority health workgroup, led by Simona Kwan, DrPH; Chau Trinh-Shevrin, DrPH; Antoinette M. Schoenthaler, EdD; Nadia S. Islam, PhD; and Joseph E. Ravenell, MD

The geriatrics and pediatrics workgroups meet on a quarterly basis, and the health disparities and minority health workgroup meets monthly.

Contact Us

To learn more about the Integrating Special Populations Unit, contact program coordinator Leigh Johnson, MPH, at Leigh.Johnson@NYULangone.org.