Currently manager, clinical operations at Rho, Sara Fournier has over 11 years of clinical research experience across Phase 1 – 3 studies.

Dedicating the first part of her career to pediatric asthma and allergy studies, she worked in the Asthma and Allergy Disease Group within the NIAID Division of Allergy, Immunology, and Transplantation (DAIT) Statistical and Clinical Coordinating Center. Here, she conducted trials which focused on understanding how the environment, allergens, and genetics interact with the immune system to cause asthma and exacerbate its symptoms. True to her nature and knack for developing and maintaining strong relationships, Ms. Fournier still keeps in touch with many of the PIs and site staff from this period of her career

Ms. Fournier has supported identification and selection of investigative sites and led the management of CRAs across multiple programs. She has assisted in the development and authorship of clinical protocols, case report forms, informed consent forms, site and monitor training tools, and clinical monitoring plans. She has also conducted all types of monitoring visits, overseen and trained CRAs, conducted training of research staff, presented at investigator meetings, developed robust enrollment plans and strategies, implemented and performed targeted source data verification, and collaborated with sponsors to correct and follow site issues to their resolution. Notably, Ms. Fournier supported a phase 2 systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension study for 3 years, leveraging pulmonary function testing in patient monitoring.

Additionally, she has experience working with many common pulmonary function tests such as spirometry, methacholine challenge, exhaled nitric oxide, and lung volume.

Why Respiratory?

“I believe that your breath is one of the most powerful tools you have, and I enjoy helping those who have lost it get it back.”

This is what drives Sara:

“During monitoring visits, I had the opportunity to meet a few of the subjects enrolled in our studies. The subjects and their families all thanked me for the work we do, and shared that the study changed their life. One subject told me that his asthma would prohibit him from playing with his friends, and he could now play without worrying about his breathing. Work life can get busy, and a lot of time is spent obsessing over small details. Times like these, I like to take a step back and think about the subjects and their families, because they are the ‘why’ behind all of our hard work.”