About Us

PrECOG aligns with and supports the goals of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group executive leadership, and builds upon them through innovative studies developed in collaboration with industry, research networks, and individuals.

About Us

Overview

The governing structure of PrECOG is comprised of a Board of Managers, including a Chair/CEO, Director of Operations, and five physician members drawn from the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group leadership and academic teams. All are prominent thought leaders within ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, and in their institutions of primary affiliation.

PrECOG’s clinical trial sites represent an established network of institutions, many with master service agreements that facilitate study start-up activities, thus providing the leverage of strong existing site relationships that foster high-quality performance.

PrECOG offices are conveniently located in Center City, Philadelphia, a city rich in history, culture, and dining options. Our offices are easily accessible by rail, air, or car.

 

Our Leadership

Our Operations team includes experienced project management, regulatory, statistical, monitoring, and support personnel.

Peter O’Dwyer, MD
Peter O’Dwyer, MD
CEO and Chair
Peter O’Dwyer, MD

Peter O’Dwyer, MD

CEO and Chair

Dr. O’Dwyer serves as chair and CEO of the PrECOG, LLC Board of Managers. He is a medical oncologist at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is a professor of medicine. His research focuses on the development of novel therapies, primarily for pancreatic and colorectal cancers. Since 2017, he has served as group co-chair of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group.
Donna Marinucci
Donna Marinucci
Executive Director
Donna Marinucci

Donna Marinucci

Executive Director

Donna Marinucci serves on the PrECOG Board of Managers as executive director, overseeing study startup and management activities. She is also executive director of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and vice president of the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups and its subsidiary, Alpha Oncology. Her career in academic oncology research administration spans more than 30 years.

Board of Managers

Al Benson, MD
Al Benson, MD
Al Benson, MD

Al Benson, MD

Dr. Benson is a professor of medicine in hematology and oncology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and associate director for Cooperative Groups at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center. At ECOG-ACRIN, he serves as group vice chair, a member of the Principal Investigator Committee, and co-chair of both the Community Advisory Committee and the Cancer Care Delivery Research Committee. He also chairs the ECOG-ACRIN Therapeutic Data Safety Monitoring Committee and the PrECOG Data Safety Monitoring Committee. His primary research focus is gastrointestinal cancers.
Bruce Giantonio, MD
Bruce Giantonio, MD
Bruce Giantonio, MD

Bruce Giantonio, MD

Dr. Giantonio is a medical oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate clinical professor at Harvard Medical School. He also serves as executive officer of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group.

Joseph Sparano, MD
Joseph Sparano, MD
Joseph Sparano, MD

Joseph Sparano, MD

Dr. Sparano is the Ezra M. Greenspan, MD Professor in Clinical Cancer Therapeutics and chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. His research focuses on developmental therapeutics for breast cancer and HIV-associated cancers, as well as the clinical application of biomarkers in breast cancer. At ECOG-ACRIN, he serves on the Executive Committee as deputy chair of the AIDS Malignancy Consortium (AMC) Joint Strategy Program.
Patrick Flynn, MD
Patrick Flynn, MD
Patrick Flynn, MD

Patrick Flynn, MD

Dr. Flynn is the former principal investigator of the Metro Minnesota Community Oncology Research Consortium. He serves on the board of directors of the ECOG Research and Education Foundation and is past co-chair of the ECOG-ACRIN Community Cancer Committee.

Suresh Ramalingam, MD
Suresh Ramalingam, MD
Suresh Ramalingam, MD

Suresh Ramalingam, MD

Dr. Ramalingam is executive director of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University. He is also a professor of hematology and medical oncology and holds the Roberto C. Goizueta Chair for Cancer Research at the Emory University School of Medicine. At ECOG-ACRIN, he serves on the Executive Committee as deputy chair of the Therapeutic Studies Program. His clinical and research focus is thoracic oncology.

What PrECOG Offers

Research Development

Ideas for PrECOG clinical trials arise from the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group Scientific Committees and are proposed by the committee, individual committee members, or via a collaborative relationship with industry partners or other research companies. PrECOG studies align with, expand, and support the goals of the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group executive leadership.

To inquire further about research collaborations please contact PrECOG.

Research Support

Identifying tumor biomarkers and genetic/genomic signatures has led to a revolution in cancer care, allowing oncologists to target specific treatments to those patients most likely to respond. Thus, exploring additional markers for patient selection or tumor response to investigational therapy is of primary importance in clinical trial design and evaluation. PrECOG utilizes central laboratories for consistency in tissue banking and correlative biomarker and patient imaging evaluations.

To inquire further about research collaborations, please contact PrECOG.

PrECOG Study Sites

PrECOG sites currently include representation from U.S. and international research networks, community and NCI-designated cancer centers, academic institutions, and individual research practices with extensive oncology research experience. These sites are members of ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and the NCTN. Many have master agreements with PrECOG which can facilitate study activation.

Go to Trials

Study Operational Oversight

The PrECOG Operations Team provides oversight and monitoring of all studies to ensure patient safety, data integrity, and data validity. Clinical trial oversight is determined by the nature of any collaboration, but is commensurate with the anticipated safety risks, size, and complexity of the clinical trial. Study management standards include central registration/randomization and electronic data capture (EDC). Study systems and supporting materials are developed to meet all known ICH and GCP requirements.

If determined that the study requires independent data safety monitoring oversight, the PrECOG Global Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) will monitor subject safety, scientific integrity of the clinical trial, and data validity. The DSMB also monitors accrual against timelines, the quality of data collection and management, and other outcomes.

Biobanks

The Central Biorepository and Pathology Facility (CBPF) at MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) serves as PrECOG’s primary biobank and is responsible for the collection, processing, and storage of diagnostic tissue and fluids for patients with solid tumors. In addition, the Leukemia Bank at MDACC is PrECOG’s primary biobank for the receipt and processing of biospecimens submitted from patients on PrECOG leukemia trials.

These biobanks provide high-level services to our investigators by procuring, collecting, processing, preserving, storing, quality control (QC), and distributing quality biological materials for clinical translational research. The PrECOG biobanks are fully engaged in several processes, including protocol development, specimen distributions for approved projects, sample selection criteria, budget preparation, sample tracking, education of participating sites to improve sample submission compliance, and providing guidance to investigators on fit-for-purpose use of samples. These biological samples are obtained from consented patients who are participating in PrECOG trials.

These biobanks participate in protocol development and consult with the protocol study chairs on instructions for collecting, processing, and shipping of study-specific biospecimens written into protocols to ensure each trial’s objectives were met.