The ECP Trial’s scientific leadership is provided by Drs. George Despotis (Principal Investigtor), Ramsey Hachem (Lead Academic Investigator) and Edward Spitznagel (Biostatistician) from Washington University in St. Louis, MO:
Dr. George Despotis is a tenured Associate Professor of Pathology, Immunology, & Anesthesiology. In his role as the study’s Principal Investigator, he provides overall oversight of the project. Dr. Despotis has extensive experience with the management of critically ill pulmonary patients in the context of operative and non-operative interventions including ECP, serves as Chair of the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Transfusion Committee, and is widely published in the field.
Dr. Ramsey Hachem is a tenured Professor of Pulmonary Medicine and the Critical Care Medical Director of the Lung Transplant Program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. In his role as the Lead Academic Investigator, he will lead efforts to enroll patients at Washington University and will spearhead the publication of study results and dissemination of information obtained from the project.
Dr. Edward Spitznagel is a tenured Professor in the Department of Mathematics with a joint appointment in the Division of Biostatistics. He contributes biostatistical expertise to the study, was instrumental in the study design, and will play an important role during the data analysis.
The implementation of the ECP Trial is being managed by the Academic Research Organization (ARO) at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at Washington University:
Dr. Suresh Vedantham, Professor of Radiology & Surgery, serves as the Co-Director of the Academic Research Organization, and specifically manages its Clinical Coordinating Center.
Dr. Daniel S. Marcus, PhD, Professor of Radiology, is the Director of the Neuroinformatics Research Group and the Computational Imaging Laboratories. Dr. Marcus serves as Co-Director the Academic Research Organization, and will specifically manage its Data Coordinating Center.