Information For Sponsors

Located in eastern Pennsylvania, Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) provides a wide variety of services across a large geographic area. We offer comprehensive care in 95 clinical specialties, complemented by clinical research and education.

LVHN comprises five hospital campuses, Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Hospital, multiple community health centers, numerous primary and specialty care physician practices, as well as pharmacy, imaging, home health and lab services.  

As a large community health network, we are able to conduct multifaceted research in a controlled setting with highly skilled, experienced clinicians and staff. Our research office has access to a full service laboratory including non-refrigerated and refrigerated centrifuges, -80-degree freezer storage, microbiology and immunology testing, and dedicated research lab personnel who work closely with our research coordinators to ensure compliance and integrity of lab samples.

Through our centralized Network Office of Research and Innovation (NORI), we:

  • Employ a systematic, centralized approach to processing pre-award and post-award research services
  • Provide a dedicated staff of research coordinators, laboratory personnel and support staff to perform and manage research studies
  • Serve as an educational resource for researchers and staff regarding good clinical practices and FDA regulations
  • Include an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that meets twice monthly for efficient submission and approvals

Research experience

Lehigh Valley Hospital conducts both inpatient and outpatient Phase II-IV clinical trials, as well as outcomes-based research. We have worked with a multitude of clinical trial sponsors and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) over the years. We continually seek new industry relationships while maintaining our current affiliations with research partners such as Bristol Myers Squibb, Merck, Abbvie and many more.

Staff expertise

Within NORI are housed three offices that provide a comprehensive, centralized approach to all research conducted throughout LVHN:

Office of research administration – This office comprises pre- and post-award specialists, as well as two research billing coordinators to assure compliant billing activities for research.

Office of clinical operations – The heart of clinical operations for research, the office is staffed by registered nurse (RN) and non-RN coordinators who carry out day-to-day functions for clinical trials, as well as regulatory specialists who efficiently process all regulatory-related submissions and activities for research. The clinical operations office also provides research education and support to staff throughout LVHN with the assistance of a team of biostatisticians and medical editor.

Office of research participant protection – This office includes the local IRB at Lehigh Valley Hospital which, has achieved accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP).

To learn more about research opportunities at LVHN, please contact NORI:

Network Office of Research and Innovation
1210 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., Suite 1000
Allentown, PA 18103
610-402-9543