Burr Honored for Contributions to Clinical Research

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This African Proverb quoted by Jeri Burr, executive director of the Utah Trial Innovation Center (TIC) at University of Utah Health, aptly describes her attitude towards science and medicine. 

The Utah TIC aims to develop operational hypothesis around clinical research to implement innovative, collaborative solutions to transform clinical and translational research. With nearly two decades of experience ranging from training and mentoring, to managing large-scale multicenter clinical trials under her belt, Burr was named as a Fellow of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) at the annual Global ACRP meeting.

Only the second class established, the 2018 ACRP Fellows were honored at the ACRP/Avoca Awards and Recognition Ceremony on Friday April 27.

“Conducting clinical trials in a national network requires tremendous efforts in planning and execution,” Burr said. “I am thrilled to collaborate, contribute, and be a part of innovation in medicine and science.”

The ACRP is a non-profit, global organization of clinical research professionals. The goal of the ACRP is to improve the overall quality of clinical research by giving those conducting clinical trials the resources and guidance they need to succeed.

Burr was among the founding members of the Greater Salt Lake City Chapter of ACRP, serving as President-elect in 2003. In the past, Burr has also served as President of the local chapter and currently sits as Bylaws Committee Chair. In 2015, the Salt Lake City Chapter was selected as the recipient of the Chapter Excellence Award in Membership Growth. This year, the Greater SLC Chapter of ACRP also went on to win a Chapter Excellence award for Advancing the Profession through Certification.

From all different disciplines, there are many U of U faculty and staff who are members of the ACRP or hold certifications from ACRP but being named a fellow is a mark of distinction reserved only for a small, noteworthy group of individuals.  

Keeping up with science is a marathon, not a sprint, and upon returning from the ACRP 2018 Conference, Burr’s mind was racing. “Participating in cutting-edge research is very rewarding because we live in a time where we are surrounded by an explosion of science and technology,” Burr said. “I love this disruptive environment because I learn something new every day.”