KEY PERSONNEL
Michael Bergamini, Ph.D., Director, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pharmacology & Neuroscience
Mike Bergamini came to Clinical Trials at UNTHSC after retiring as Vice President, Glaucoma Development R&D at Alcon Research, Ltd. Mike started his career in science as a college drop-out, laboratory glassware washer in a toxicology institute in Albany, NY, where he rose to Research Technician before returning to complete his undergraduate education with a B.S. in Biology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. After learning some leadership skills as a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps (and Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve), he obtained his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York. Since then, he has been Manager of Pharmacology (Ophthalmic and Dermal) at Allergan, Director of Ophthalmic Research at The Liposome Company, Inc. (now part of Elan Pharmaceuticals), Vice President of R&D for SOLA/Barnes-Hind, and Director General (Managing Director) of the Laboratorios Cusí R&D Center in Barcelona, Spain prior to its acquisition by Alcon in 1995.
While at these companies, he acquired broad experience in management of both preclinical and clinical research & development, creation of business plans, negotiation of technology licenses and collaborative research contracts, management of multi-company international R&D collaborations, direct liaison with regulatory and funding agencies, and intellectual property management. Since 1978, he has been involved in more than 75 clinical studies that have resulted in the launch of 12 pharmaceutical products and 2 medical devices. He is first or co-inventor of 12 patents, is first or co-author of 33 articles, 64 abstracts, and 2 chapters, and was Principle Investigator for a SBIR grant. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, a Research Scientist in Industry Member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, and a member of several scientific societies and has been an invited participant on the National Institutes of Health, Vis A SBIR Study Section.
Mike also is an Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology and Neuroscience at UNTHSC where he has lectured on Drug Development in various courses in the GSBS since 1998. In his spare time, he bicycles, skis, taxis 3 teenagers, and does odd jobs around the stable where his wife and daughter keep their horses.
Fidelita (Della) Weis, Clinical Trials Project Manager, RN, BSN, CCRC,
Della received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Far Eastern University in Manila, Philippines in 1975. She has worked at UNTHSC since 1985 when she joined the Department of Family medicine. She has since worked in clinical care, management or research in Public Health, Surgery, Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.
Her first clinical trial study at UNTHSC was in 1987. She enjoys working in clinical trials because it allows her to use her nursing skills in different populations and illnesses. She finds in-patient hospital clinical trials the most rewarding.
As a result of her experience in medical billing and performing trials she is very experienced in costing procedures of clinical trials. She learned that each clinical trial must have a completely unique budget that matches the study protocol. She is currently in addition to coordinating several trials is responsible for assisting in the budget negotiation process of clinical trials at UNTHSC.
During her spare time Della enjoys playing tennis, the piano and the guitar.
Jim Moss, Financial Manager
Jim is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in management and an emphasis in accounting. Prior to coming to work at the State of Texas, Jim accumulated twenty years experience in management and operations consulting. He came to the Office of Clinical Trials from the UNT Health Science Center’s Internal Audit Department. As Clinical Trials Financial Manager he is responsible for execution of the office's accounting and reporting polices, and for overseeing the financial aspects of individual trial protocols.
Romona Gibson, Senior Administrative Services Officer
Romona joined the Office of Clinical Trials in August 2006. Prior to coming to the UNTHSC, she worked as a Program Project Specialist for six years in the Technology & Cognition Department at the University of North Texas. She was recently voted into the
Wendy Stoecker, Regulatory Project Manager
Wendy joined UNT Clinical Trials in November 1998. Prior to working in Clinical Trials, she was with Alcon R&D International Regulatory Affairs for several years. As Clinical Trials Regulatory Project Manager, she is responsible for the preparation and submission of all new studies to the Institutional Review Board, the negotiation of clinical trial agreements with pharmaceutical sponsors, and the oversight of the regulatory processes associated with clinical trials.
Tina McCall, Assistant Regulatory Project Manager
A 1992 graduate of Tulane University with a double major in French and Political Science and a minor in Economics, Tina thought she would take her newly minted degree to work for the World Bank. She was mistaken. An accidental summer job with a community action agency launched her into the exciting world of federal grant writing and contract review, a foray from which she has yet to recover. Having joined the Office of Clinical Trials in October 2008, she is the newest member of the regulatory team and will work closely with the project manager and the specialist to generate clinical trial contracts and the concomitant paperwork.
To maintain some semblance of sanity, Tina regularly practices the art of tai chi.
Srishti Puri, Regulatory Specialist
Srishti graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of Texas at Dallas. Currently she is enrolled in the School of Public Health at UNT Health Science Center; working toward her Masters in Epidemiology. She joined the Office of Clinical Trials in September 2007. Prior to working with Clinical Trials, she worked as a medical assistant for a Gastroenterologist in Las Colinas.
Rhonda Dennis Administrative Secretary
Rhonda joined the UNT Health Science Center in January 2005 as an extern from Iverson Business School. After completing her externship, she was offered a job by the Internal Medicine Department in the Geriatrics Clinic at the Patient Care Center. She worked in the clinic for three years before she was recruited by the Office of Clinical Trials as an Administrative Secretary.
This page last updated Oct 30, 2009
