MUSC Regional Research Centers

Expanding Medical Research and Patient Care Across South Carolina

At MUSC, we are committed to providing exceptional patient care and life saving medical research opportunities to patients across the state of South Carolina. Our Regional Health Network (RHN) Research Centers, located in Columbia, Florence, and Lancaster, offer research spaces and experienced staff expanding investigators’ research reach and providing patients with lifesaving clinical trial opportunities that may not otherwise be accessible locally.

Why Choose Our Regional Research Centers for Your Clinical Research?

Patient-Centered Care: Committed to providing high-quality care to patients, ensuring safety and well-being throughout the research process.
Extensive Support to Investigators: Including research coordination services, access to patient populations across South Carolina, regulatory compliance navigation support, and state-of-the-art facilities.
Experienced Research Teams: Our centers are staffed with skilled research coordinators, supported by MUSC Charleston regulatory coordinators, lab technicians, and support personnel, dedicated to facilitating successful clinical trials.
Comprehensive Facilities: Each center has dedicated research spaces to support a wide range of studies, and some locations have additional space such as exam rooms and labs. For specifics, see the Research Center Details.
Governance Committee Review: Our MUSC Health/RHN Research Expansion Governance Committee meticulously reviews each research request to assess feasibility, patient population, resources, and competing studies ensuring studies are well-supported and align with our capabilities

Email Us

Are you a sponsor or CRO interested in partnering with MUSC for your clinical research? Connect with our Research Opportunities & Collaboration (ROC) team at ResearchOppCollab@musc.edu to learn how we can support your research needs.

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Getting Started

Investigators can expand their research reach with the support of our MUSC Health/RHN Research Centers. To get started, submit a request form reviewed by the MUSC Health/RHN Research Expansion Governance Committee. This committee assesses study feasibility, MUSC Health/RHN interest and patient population, required resources and services, and competing studies.

Conducting Research

Documentation related to requesting, receiving approval, and implementing a research project in the RHN. Check back frequently as this document will be regularly updated.

View Guide (PDF) (Login required)

Plan Your Submission: 2026 Governance Committee Schedule

The following schedule outlines the 2026 request submission deadlines and corresponding meeting dates for the MUSC Health/RHN Research Expansion Governance Committee. Investigators should plan submissions accordingly to ensure timely review and approval.

Request & Application Due Date	Committee Meeting Date
January 7, 2026	January 14, 2026
February 4, 2026	February 11, 2026
March 4, 2026	March 11, 2026
April 1, 2026	April 8, 2026
May 6, 2026	May 13, 2026
June 3, 2026	June 10, 2026
July 1, 2026	July 8, 2026
August 5, 2026	August 12, 2026
September 2, 2026	September 9, 2026
October 7, 2026	October 14, 2026
November 4, 2026	November 11, 2026
December 2, 2026	December 9, 2026

Please submit requests by 5:00 p.m. on the due date for consideration at the corresponding meeting.

RHN Research Centers

Lancaster, Chester, & Indian Land

Location

On the campus of MUSC Health Lancaster

Facilities

1,400 sq. ft. research clinic
Two patient exam rooms
Study team desk/computer access
Supply/document storage
Lab for processing and storing research samples
Coordinator services
Registration area and waiting room
A private office
Venipuncture kiosk

Contact

Clinical Trials Department
lancasterresearch@musc.edu
803-286-1384

Darann Wiegand
Research Program Manager
wiegandd@musc.edu

Kayla Strait
Research Program Coordinator
straitk@musc.edu

Columbia Heart & Vascular Institute, Midlands, and Kershaw Medical Center

Location

On the campus of MUSC Health Columbia

Facilities

2,200 sq. ft. research clinic
One patient exam room
Study team desk/computer access
Supply/document storage
Lab draw
A private office
Specimen mailing
Coordinator services
Regulatory services
Data collection

Contact

Clinical Trials Department
columbiaresearch@musc.edu
803-255-2927

Jacqueline Sheriod-Scott
Research Program Manager
sheriods@musc.edu

Barbara Burrell
Research Specialist
burrellb@musc.edu

Florence, Marion, & Black River Medical Center

Location

On the campus of MUSC Health Florence

Facilities

2,500 sq. ft. research clinic
Three patient exam rooms
Study team desk/computer access
Supply/document storage
Lab for processing and storing research samples
Coordinator services
Registration area and waiting room
On-site study monitor workspace

Contact

Clinical Trials Department
florenceresearch@musc.edu
843-674-5170

Patricia Robinson
Research Program Manager
robinpat@musc.edu

Meet Our Research Expansion Team

Royce Sampson, MSN, RN, CRA

Director, Office of Clinical Research;
Administrator, South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute (SCTR);
Project Director, Research Expansion

sampsonr@musc.edu 1-843-693-1596 View Faculty Profile