Miami Research Center

The Miami Research Center was established in July 2012 as the mechanism and local infrastructure for maintaining and growing Dr. Lisa R. Metsch’s long-standing, Miami-based research program which she built over her near 20-year tenure as a Professor within the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Miami (UM) Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Metsch oversees all center activities which are directed locally by one Miami-based Columbia faculty member and two Assistant Directors. In addition to these Directors, the Miami Research Center is comprised of two additional faculty members, project directors/coordinators, and field staff, including outreach workers/recruiters, interventionists, and research assistants/interviewers.

Together, the faculty and staff based at the Miami Research Center implement a large research portfolio of multi-site and single site clinical trials and other longitudinal studies, one of which is implemented in San Juan, Puerto Rico and another which is concurrently being implemented in Montreal, Canada. Their research primarily focuses on developing innovative strategies to increase the uptake of HIV and Hepatitis C testing, linkage, retention, and re-engagement in care among vulnerable populations. The Miami Research Center is located on the UM Miller School of Medicine campus and occupies approximately 1,000 square feet of administrative office space co-located with the UM Department of Public Health Sciences.