Rho, a contract research organization (CRO) providing clinical research services in both the commercial and federal market, has been awarded a new cooperative agreement to provide statistical and clinical coordinating services to the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation (DAIT), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). The NC-based CRO will provide these services for DAIT’s large clinical research consortia in the areas of asthma and allergic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and transplantation.

	The largest federal contract in Rho’s 31-year history, the award is valued at approximately $16.5 million per year for seven years. Additionally, supplemental funds of approximately $6.8 million have been awarded for the first year. 

	“Rho is excited to be selected as DAIT’s Statistical and Clinical Coordinating Center to support the important work they are doing to help combat serious health concerns, such as asthma and allergies, autoimmune diseases, and transplantation,” said Russ Helms, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer for Rho. “Rho’s expertise and resources will help assure top-notch operational support, statistical analysis, clinical data management and bioinformatics services.”

	The program uses a multiple principal investigator (PI) structure. Five Rho employees are serving as PIs on this project, including: Ronald W. Helms, Ph.D., Chairman and overall PI; Karen Kesler, Ph.D., Senior Statistical Scientist and Leadership Group PI; Samuel Arbes, Jr., D.D.S., M.P.H., Ph.D., Senior Research Scientist and Group Leader for the Asthma and Allergic Diseases Group; David Ikle, Ph.D., Senior Statistical Scientist and Group Leader for the Transplantation Group; and Lynette Keyes-Elstein, DrPH, Senior Statistical Scientist and Group Leader for the Autoimmune Diseases Group. Additionally, day-to-day management will be provided by Michelle Walter, M.S., Senior Project Director.

	The project combines services that were previously under six separate awards from DAIT – Rho held five of the previous awards. For additional details about Rho’s federal research expertise, visit 