Clinical research drives every advance in endocrine medicine. To learn about an active study, see the listing on the right or scroll down to contact our research team.
Clinical Research · Diabetes & Endocrine Specialists
Clinical Research
Our EndoTrials Clinical Research Center — physician-scientist led, embedded in a 30-year endocrine practice, and committed to advancing the science that benefits our patients.
About Our Research Center
A clinical research center built and run by physician-scientists
EndoTrials is San Diego’s clinical research center founded, managed, and run by true MD-PhD physician-scientists. Clinical research studies are crucial for the development of new therapies — and we believe doing them well requires the same rigor we bring to patient care every day.
Our team consists of accomplished basic and clinical researchers with extensive experience in endocrinology and diabetes. We aim to remain at the cutting edge of science and technology and to help advance the field for the benefit of our patients.
EndoTrials continues the clinical and research legacy of Diabetes & Endocrine Associates — the practice founded by Daniel Einhorn MD and Raymond Fink MD that has been a regional hallmark research practice operating in the same locations since 1991.
What sets us apart
EndoTrials builds on decades of clinical-care and research know-how, but what distinguishes us is the operational nimbleness that today’s clinical research demands. We are problem-solvers and creative thinkers, committed to the highest quality standards.
| Strength | Detail |
|---|---|
| 500+ trials | Completed by our director of research as primary investigator |
| 20,000+ patients | In our affiliated practice — a deep, diverse recruitment base |
| 30 years | Continuous practice in the same San Diego location since 1991 |
Population & access
The site has a patient population exceeding 20,000 with a highly diverse mix of ethnic and racial subgroups. Our catchment area extends as far east as El Centro and the Imperial Valley and includes a well-balanced mix of White, Black, Asian, and American Indian populations. La Mesa and adjacent El Cajon are home to one of the largest Iraqi and Chaldean populations in the United States.
Through our affiliation with a multi-site endocrinology practice (offices in La Mesa, La Jolla, and Poway) and our collaboration with Sharp Community Medical Group — a network of more than 800 primary care and specialty physicians across 350 San Diego County locations — EndoTrials has access to a very large and diverse pool of potential study participants.
Active Studies
REIMAGINE-4
Novo Nordisk · NCT06221969
CagriSema vs. Tirzepatide head-to-head in Type 2 Diabetes.
TRANSCEND-T2D-3
Eli Lilly · NCT06297603
Retatrutide in Type 2 Diabetes with renal impairment.
REDEFINE — CagriSema vs. Semaglutide (Study 3)
Novo Nordisk · NCT07564414
CagriSema versus semaglutide, head-to-head.
Eloralintide + Tirzepatide (Study 4)
Eli Lilly · NCT06345066
Eloralintide added to tirzepatide.
GenSci098 (YB-101) in Graves’ Disease (Study 5)
GenSci · NCT07286656
YB-101 (GenSci098) for Graves’ disease.
Study Six — TBD
Sponsor & ID pending
Details forthcoming.
Interested in joining a trial? Click any study above for full details, or contact our team.
Our Team — Scientific Minds
Physician-scientists at every level
EndoTrials is led and managed by physician-scientists who have devoted their careers to people with endocrine disease and to advancing the fields of endocrinology and diabetes. We combine scientific rigor honed over decades of cutting-edge research with a commitment to compassionate patient care — and we navigate clinical-trial complexity with competence, agility, and the ease of a smile.
Darius A. Schneider, MD, PhD — President & Research Investigator
Trained at Heidelberg, UCSD, and the University of Washington. PhD in pancreatic islet transplantation; Fulbright Fellow in diabetes immunology with Matthias von Herrath at the La Jolla Institute. Subsequently worked with William Hagopian on the TEDDY study at the Pacific Northwest Research Institute.
Co-investigator on multiple diabetes research studies. Combined background in endocrinology and immunology brings a distinctive scientific perspective to the team.
Mba Uzoma Mba, MD, PhD — Research Investigator
Double board-certified internist and endocrinologist trained at prestigious academic centers in the United States and Europe. As an MD-PhD physician-scientist, Dr. Mba combines exceptional clinical skills with scientific expertise.
Robert Lipetz, DO — Director of Research
“Bob” Lipetz is an exceptionally accomplished clinical researcher with a long and successful history in the research industry. Dr. Lipetz has completed more than 500 clinical trials as a primary investigator, with at least half of these studies in endocrinology and predominantly Type 2 Diabetes.
Sara Turner-Cooper, PA-C, PhD — Research Coordinator
Sara is a certified Physician Assistant who completed a PhD in molecular biology before devoting her career to the care of patients with endocrine conditions and diabetes. She combines deep scientific training with hands-on clinical experience, anchoring the day-to-day conduct of our trials.
Facilities & Site Profile
Built for clinical research
Our La Mesa facility offers ample space for clinical trials, with well-equipped examination rooms; secure drug, device, and document storage; state-of-the-art equipment for clinical studies; and professional-grade office systems with high-speed fiber internet and Wi-Fi throughout.
Equipment On-Site
- Research-grade refrigerators & freezers, 24/7 monitored
- Centrifuges
- EKG
- Lung spirometer
- DEXA bone densitometer
- Ultrasound
- Retinal camera
Operations
- Secure drug, device & document storage
- Site-specific SOPs & work-practice guidelines
- GCP, IATA, EDP, IMP certified staff
- No in-house IRB — added timeline flexibility
- Site-specific forms for trial conduct
- Full documentation available for sponsor review
Location & Access
- Grossmont Medical Campus, La Mesa
- Direct access to I-8 and I-125
- Multiple bus lines & San Diego Trolley nearby
- 15 minutes from San Diego International Airport
Affiliations
- Diabetes & Endocrine Specialists — La Mesa, La Jolla, Poway
- Sharp Community Medical Group network
- 800+ affiliated primary & specialty physicians
- 350+ provider locations across San Diego County
Participating in a Clinical Trial
Should I participate in a clinical trial?
Clinical trials are how new medications, devices, and treatment approaches reach patients. Every drug currently on the market — every insulin, every GLP-1 receptor agonist, every thyroid hormone replacement — was tested first in trials very much like the ones we run today. Participating in a study is an opportunity to access investigational therapies before they are widely available, to be cared for closely by an experienced research team, and to contribute to advances that will benefit others living with endocrine disease.
Each of our active studies has its own specific eligibility criteria — typically including diagnosis, age, current medications, and certain laboratory parameters. The list to the right shows the studies currently enrolling at our site.
Participation is always voluntary. You can withdraw from any study at any time, for any reason, without affecting your ongoing clinical care. Generous visit stipends are typically provided, and study-related care is provided at no cost to you.
What does enrollment involve?
The process generally begins with a screening visit at which we review your medical history, perform an examination, and obtain laboratory tests required by the study protocol. If you meet eligibility, we walk through the informed consent in detail — what the study is testing, what is known about the investigational product, what visits and tests will be required, the potential benefits and risks, and your rights as a participant.
Once enrolled, you are seen on the schedule the protocol dictates — sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly — for the duration of the trial. Our team handles all study-related testing, drug or device dispensing, and reporting to the sponsor, and we coordinate with your regular physician throughout.
Contact Our Research Team
EndoTrials Clinical Research Center
If you are interested in participating in one of our studies — or if you are a sponsor or CRO looking to discuss a potential trial — please reach out. We respond promptly.
Address: 8851 Center Drive, Suite 404, La Mesa, CA 91942
Phone: 619-463-1293
Fax: 619-463-8230
Email: info@endotrials.org
Web: www.endotrials.org