Peninsula Research Associates (PRA) is the Rolling Hills Estates-based research center of Peninsula Physician Associates. PRA was established in 1999 by Lawrence Sher, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of California School of Medicine at Los Angeles. PRA works in partnership with the pharmaceutical industry to conduct year-round clinical research studies with the goal of improving treatments and outcomes for patients suffering from a broad range of conditions. PRA has earned a reputation for quality clinical trials and achieved significant study results in otitis media and sinusitis treatment.

Peninsula Research Associates was established with the sole purpose of conducting clinical research studies and has been doing so ever since its doors opened in 1999. The center runs studies that fall into a variety of therapeutic areas: cardiology, vascular diseases, endocrinology, immunology, infectious diseases, pediatrics, psychiatry, and pulmonary and respiratory diseases. Peninsula Research Associates has worked with the following sponsors: Pfizer, Inc.; Aventis Pharmaceuticals; GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Research; Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical; Eli Lilly and Company; Bristol-Meyers Squibb; Bayer Corporation; Merck & Co., Inc.; Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development, L.L.C.; R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute; and Schering Corporation.

For more information about participating in an upcoming study at Peninsula Research Associates, please contact us for a consultation with a member of our professional staff.

Located in Rolling Hills Estates, California, Peninsula Research Associates is a fully equipped, up-to-date research facility that offers outpatient services.

The principal investigator in all of the center's research studies, Dr. Sher received his medical degree in 1983 from the University of Utah School of Medicine and his medical training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Hospital and Clinics, Department of Pediatrics. He is board-certified in adult/pediatric allergy and immunology as well as pediatrics, and is Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology at UCLA. Dr. Sher holds fellowships with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Since 1987, he has been in private practice in Southern California's South Bay, where his community involvement includes the Los Angeles County School Nurses Association and asthma support leadership at UCLA/Harbor Medical Center. He is one also one of the 15 primary care physicians who travel nationwide for OMEW (Otitis Media Education Workshop), providing education for nurse practitioners and physician assistants on topics such as better diagnosis of ear infections and appropriate use of antibiotics. His most recent publishings include Clinical Therapeutics; Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology; and Medical Crossfire. Dr. Sher is also on the speakers' bureaus for Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Shering Corporation, Glaxo-Wellcome, and Merck.

• Research Professionals

Lawrence Sher, M.D., Medical Director

Dr. Sher received his medical degree in 1983 from the University Of Utah School Of Medicine and his medical training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Hospital and Clinics, Department of Pediatrics. He is board certified in adult/pediatric allergy and immunology as well as pediatrics, and is Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the Department of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at UCLA. Dr. Sher holds fellowships with the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology; and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He founded Peninsula Research Associates, Inc., in 1999 and is the principal investigator in all of the center's research studies. Since 1987, he has been in private practice in Southern California's South Bay, where his community involvement includes the Los Angeles County School Nurses Association and asthma support leadership at UCLA/Harbor Medical Center. He is also one of the 15 primary care physicians who travel nationwide for OMEW (Otitis Media Education Workshop), providing education for nurse practitioners and physician assistants on topics such as better diagnosis of ear infections and appropriate use of antibiotics. His most recent publishing includes Clinical Therapeutics: Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology; and Medical Crossfire. Dr. Sher is listed on speaker bureaus for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Schering Plough, GlaxoSmithKline and Merck. He also sits on National Pediatric Advisory Boards for Merck, Eli-Lilly and Sanofi-Aventis. Along with his involvement in designing of new research protocols, Dr. Sher has also served as a Medical Monitor on several clinical research trials in South Africa.

Farid Khan, M.D., Clinical Research Director

Farid received his medical degree in 1997 from the University of Debrecen, Medical and Sciences Health Center in Hungary. After receiving his degree, Farid held an externship in general surgery at Sharjah Al-Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and then worked as a resident surgeon at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital of Hatvan in Hatvan, Hungary. He came to the United States in March 2000 and joined Harbor/UCLA Medical Center Research and Education Institute as a Clinical Trials Coordinator for two years where he was directly involved with in-patient clinical trials for the Department of Surgery. In May 2002, he joined Peninsula Research Associates as a clinical research coordinator for outpatient clinical trials. Farid currently supervises the team of Clinical Research Coordinators at the research site and also handles business development for PRA.

Peninsula Research has an experienced staff of 5 full-time coordinators (research experience in years below) and 2 research assistants.

Vijay Parikh, MBBS (2 years) is a physician licensed in India, who joined Peninsula Research Associates in 2003. Vijay coordinates the Asthma trials at PRA.

Baishakhi(Ruma) Barva, MBBS (2 years) is a physician licensed in Bangladesh, who also joined Peninsula Research Associates in 2003. Baishakhi is the lead coordinator on all ADHD clinical trials at PRA.

Lillian Bennett (4 years) is a California-licensed medical assistant, radiology technician and phlebotomist. She has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. Lillian coordinates the ADHD trials with Ruma and handles the laboratory work.

Debbie Cappy (3 years) has 16 years experience as a medical assistant in the field of Pediatrics and she coordinates Pediatric as well as Adult Vaccine research trials for Peninsula Research.

Carey Goldsmith-Furman (4 years) has worked as a research coordinator at Kaiser Permanente Medical Group prior to her appointment at PRA and she coordinates the Sleep Disorder clinical trials.

Danielle Unguez, Marketing and Recruitment Director - is responsible for recruitment of patients through advertising, marketing, and promotions for all studies.

Patient demographics are specific to each study. Please see the study overviews for details.

Peninsula Research Associates utilizes central Internal Review Boards in the evaluations of all its studies.

For more information about participating in an upcoming study at Peninsula Research Associates, please contact us for a consultation with a member of our professional staff.

CenterWatch is listing the following trials that are actively recruiting patients at this center.

• Are You an African American struggling with Asthma?
• Do You Suffer From ADHD?
• Does your child have ADHD and are they negative, hostile or defiant?
• Is ADHD Affecting Your Child?
• Once you fall asleep do you keep waking up or even when you wake up you don’t feel refreshed?
• Raising a child with Autism can be an emotional rollercoaster.

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Lawrence Sher
Medical Director
Peninsula Research Associates
550 Deep Valley Drive, Ste. 317
Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274 USA
Phone: 310-265-1623 or 1-888-PRATRIALS
Fax: 310-265-1753
E-mail:

If you are interested in contacting this center to discuss placing a clinical trial there, please complete and send the E-mail form below. A representative from the research center will then follow up with you.

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Last updated on October 1, 2008