Ophthalmology

Tanya has over 28 years of experience with Fortrea (formerly Labcorp, Covance and Chiltern), including monitoring, global project management, delivery director oversight and strategic planning and growth. Her clinical research experience includes a broad range of therapeutic experience with over 18 years in ophthalmology. Tanya’s ocular experience covers front and back of the eye indications, inherited retinal and ocular rare diseases across phase I-IV and medical device studies as well as ocular cell and gene therapies.

Her extensive delivery background, coupled with her ocular experience supports both internal and external stakeholders in the strategic development of a reduced burden approach, as well as an efficient and successfully executed ocular trial.

Tanya is passionate about ensuring the priorities of a clinical trial are 1) to reduce the burden across all stakeholders 2) a realistic, common-sense approach and 3) at the end of the day, we all do what we do for the patients.

Tanya is based in the US.

Dr. Gutiu is a board-certified neurologist with more than 15 years of clinical experience in a hospital setting across a wide range of neurological and psychiatric indications. He spent 10 years in academia as Assistant Professor of Neurology and attended doctoral courses in neuropharmacology. His 28 years of clinical research experience includes roles as an investigator, medical monitor and medical leadership positions spanning Phase I-IV studies.

He has broad range of experience across product modalities, including biologics and cell and gene therapies as well as medical expertise in neuro and psychiatric diseases, including, but not limited to, neurodegenerative, pain, neuromuscular and demyelinating.

Based in Germany.

Dr. Hoelscher has 26 years of CRO industry experience in a wide variety of therapeutic areas, most recently in the past 16 years focusing on medical monitoring in ophthalmology indications including: Retinal: dry/wet AMD, Non-infectious Uveitis, DME, Macular edema in uveitis, Vitreomacular traction, Proliferative/non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Anterior indications: dry eye, Glaucoma/POAG. Gene therapy: wet AMD, Batten’s disease. Rare disease: Batten’s disease, choroideremia, Stargardt’s disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Leber’s amaurosis.

While in medical school, he participated in Parkland Hospital’s “Mavericks in Ophthalmology” program, leading to a long fascination with research and the clinical practice of vision care.

Dr. Hoelscher is based in Austin, Texas.

Dr. Naidan Luo M.D Ph.D has over 28 years as a trained ophthalmologist and 23 years of clinical trial research experience in Phase I, II, III, IV in a wide variety of therapeutic areas, focusing on medical monitoring in ophthalmology indications including Glaucoma, Ocular hypertension, wet/dry AMD, Dry eye disease, Conjunctivitis, Blepharitis, Refractive error, Corneal Transplantation, NAION, LHON gene therapy, Stargardt disease, Ataxia, Parkinson Disease, AD, Woman health, COPD etc. Rare disease: Heriditary Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA), LHON.

Naidan is based in Beijing, China

Sarah Bolger-Ford is Senior Director within the Ophthalmology section of the Strategic Delivery and Growth group at Fortrea, based in the UK. She has a PhD in Physiology from King’s College London (UK) and has more than 26 years in the industry, from trainee CRA, through project management to her present position, and joined our company in November 2006. ​

She works with the pre-award team to provide client’s with tailored proposals, supports study teams in strategic delivery of awarded work and contributes to the growth of the ophthalmology portfolio.

Sarah is passionate about being part of the development of sight preserving and sight restoring solutions for patients.​

Sarah is based in the UK.

Brian has over 20 years clinical research experience, having worked at biotech companies, a global CRO and GlobalCare Clinical Trials. Brian joined Fortrea in 2020. He has hands-on experience in clinical operations, data management, medical writing, project management, portfolio management, line management, business development, contract execution, FDA/regulatory submissions and working with advisory boards. He has therapeutic experience in Ophthalmology, Neurology, Rare Disease, Oncology, Cardiovascular, Women’s Health and Trauma research and has spent the last 4 years dedicated to Ophthalmology.

Brian is passionate about patient centric clinical trials and finding creative solutions to reduce site and patient burden in a space filled with complex and debilitating disorders.

Brian is based in the US.

Richard has more than 27 years of industry experience from Pre-Clinical work in the Pharmaceutical sector to Data Management, CRA & Project Management, in multiple therapeutic areas, focusing on Ophthalmology over the last 8 years, joining Fortrea in 2000. Richard provides delivery leadership to both his clients and project teams at portfolio & study level.

Richard prides himself in building strong relationships with sponsors and sites, recognizing how reducing patient burden and supporting site needs can make Fortrea the CRO of choice, in competitive landscapes, getting new products to market by delivering studies quickly and with quality.

Richard is based in the UK.

Diane Ostang, Delivery Director, has a background in Biomedical Engineering and brings over 22 years of industry experience across various therapeutic areas, with over 18 years as part of Fortrea team. She supports project teams at portfolio level, escalates priority issues, and ensures delivery oversight. Diane prides herself in building strong relationships with sponsors and sites, recognizing how reducing patient burden and supporting site needs can make our program the study of choice even in competitive landscapes. ​

Diane is based in US (ET).

Darby Thomas, PhD, is the Scientific Director of Cell & Gene Therapies. She earned her PhD in Molecular Virology from Baylor College of Medicine, performed postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania, followed by 17 years in industry prior to joining Fortrea (formerly Labcorp) in 2021.

Dr. Thomas has broad experience in adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy with roles in CMC, discovery, translational development, and patient advocacy for several AAV-focused companies with an emphasis on rare neurological and metabolic diseases and ophthalmology. She also has translational experience developing plasmid-based gene therapies, lentiviruses, as well as gene-modified cell therapies for the treatment of rare skin disorders.

Dr. Thomas provides specialized scientific expertise providing leadership and guidance to integrated global teams, as well as internal and external consultation and training on cell and gene therapy programs.