Clinical research education major, CREMA (Clinical Research Education and Management Academy) has appointed Dr Ramananda S Nadig as dean and chief operating officer. Dr Nadig who was the deputy dean and president, operations at CREMA replaces Dr SM Sapatnekar.

Dr Nadig who holds a MBBS degree and MD in Pharmaceutical Sciences has extensive experience in the clinical research space and pharma industry. Before CREMA, he was at Triesta Sciences India Pvt. Ltd, part of the Healthcare Global Enterprises, Bangalore. He has worked with Stempeutics, the Manipal Group's stem cell research and development centre as chief operating officer. Prior to that he served at several global pharma companies like Novo Nordisk, Eli Lily, Aventis and AstraZeneca. Among the Indian companies he also worked at Biocon Limited, Manipal AcuNova and the public sector pharma enterprise Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Limited (KAPL).

CREMA has its centers at Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. It offers courses related to clinical research, including clinical data management and pharmacovigilance. In October 2009, it introduced two new courses 'Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Research & Regulatory Affairs (PGDCRRA)' and 'Post Graduate Diploma in Drug Development (PGDDD). It also launched the third party audit (TPA) training programme and services to support the fast growing clinical research segment in the country for quality assurance.

According to Dr Nadig, India is being recognized for its clinical research expertise and infrastructure. The country is a hub for Clinical Research Organizations. There are around 30 leading companies in the country. The key factors driving the segment are access to patient pool with varied disease manifestations, clinical acumen and medical centres . However, despite the highly qualified medical professionals and medico-scientific personnel here, there is need for dedicated training in the area of clinical research. This is where CREMA will offer guidance to candidates, train them in areas which can helped them to be ready for industry needs.