Petar Lenert, MD, MSc, PhD, has been invited to join the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) on behalf of the NIH’s National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). Dr. Lenert will help monitor the safety of clinical trials conducted by the Vasculitis Clinical Research Consortium (VCRC), which encompasses 18 academic medical centers, as well as patient support organizations and clinical research resources throughout the United States and Canada. More than 1,900 patients are enrolled in VCRC-sponsored clinical trials.

As a member of the DSMB, Dr. Lenert will advise the Director of the Rheumatology branch of the NIAMS on the variety of activities the VCRC conducts, ensuring they are in compliance with regulations. DSMBs are required for all programs employing multi-site clinical trials (typically Phase III) that pose potential risk to participants. Dr. Lenert is a Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine in the Division of Immunology, the Director of the Iowa Rheumatology Symposium, and October’s Spotlight.