Shobha Swaminathan
Associate professor at New Jersey Medical School
Research at Rutgers
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Research
Shobha Swaminathan is an infectious disease expert and the research site leader for NIH-funded clinical trials at New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). Swaminathan is also the principal investigator for the Division of AIDS-funded clinical research site, where she successfully implemented multiple NIH-funded HIV treatment and prevention studies. Under her direction, NJMS has been one of the leading sites for the enrollment of women and minority populations.
Impact
As the coronavirus pandemic gripped the United States, her team pivoted to conducting clinical trials for COVID-19. Among those studies was a COVID-19 vaccine trial. As site principal investigator, Swaminathan led her team on the phase 3 Moderna vaccine trial, contributing to the science that ultimately received emergency use authorization approval in December 2020. “Rutgers is a state institution, and it reaches everyone from north to south,” she said of Rutgers being one of a select group of sites to conduct the research. “It really shows Rutgers’ relevance as a key scientific research institution not only in the state, but in the country.”
Passion
“I find taking care of my patients in the clinic and participants in clinical trials to be the most satisfying aspect of my job,” Swaminathan said, adding that she is actively engaged as a primary caregiver for the community in Newark, particularly the HIV-positive population. “Additionally, clinical trials provide opportunities for participants to access cutting-edge science that will hopefully have a positive impact not only on their lives but potentially impact the whole world. I know my work means something for my patients. Being able to give people hope who have none. It’s important,” she said. “Hope is everything we have, right?”
