OUR TEAM
Black Tusk Research Group is a Site Management Organization located in downtown Vancouver that specializes in operating clinical trials for hospital investigators. Our duties range from carrying out project specific tasks to conducting project management from start to finish. Black Tusk is currently aiding over 45 principal investigators, actively managing over 200 pharmaceutical and academic trials, and has partnered with over 10 pharmaceutical sponsors. Professional integrity and patient centered care are among our core values.
MEET OUR SENIOR TEAM
Dedicated professionals with an appetite for research and patient-centered care
Lynda Lazosky, RRT, BSc, CCRP
Founder & CEO
(She/Her/Hers)
Lynda has been in the clinical trials ecosphere for more than 20 years. She founded Black Tusk in 2014 and has been Chief Executive Officer ever since. She is also a licensed respiratory therapist.
John Boyd, MD, PhD
Co-Founder & CMO
(He/Him/His)
Dr. Boyd is a co-founder of Black Tusk as well as an Associate Professor in internal medicine at the University of British Columbia. He is also an Intensivist the St. Paul's Hospital ICU and an Investigator at the Centre for Heart Lung Innovation.
Jacobo Lopez, BCom
VP Finance & Operations
(He/Him/His)
Jacobo has been working under various roles for five years at Black Tusk. He has experience in pharma budgeting, financial modelling, payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, logistics, operations, and human resources.
Danielle Pinheiro Muller,
MD
Clinical Research Manager - SAVE BC
(She/Her/Hers)
Danielle has twenty years of previous experience as a Medical Doctor, a residency in Pediatrics and a Fellowship in Pediatric Gastroenterology. She also boasts two years of work in clinical research as a coordinator and is currently a manager of a Biobank of Coronary Artery Disease in young adults with almost 1,000 patients enrolled.
Fagun Jain, MSc
Clinical Research Manager - Thoracic Surgery and Outpatient ICU
(She/Her/Hers)
Fagun is responsible for project management for the ARBs program under Dr. James Russell and clinical trials for the Division of Thoracic Surgery under Dr. Anna McGuire. She manages the site coordination, financial management of the studies and maintenance of ethics and regulations during study start-up to close-out.
Mayel Gharanei, PhD, MA
Clinical Research Manager - Pulmonology
(He/Him/His)
Mayel Gharanei, PhD, MA, is a distinguished figure in the fields of clinical research and biomedical science, holding a Ph.D. in Physiology, Pharmacology, and Cardiotoxicity. With a robust academic background and international experience spanning the UK, USA, and Canada, Mayel excels in clinical trial management and regulatory oversight, resulting in groundbreaking discoveries in cardiovascular diseases. His numerous awards, including the Research Team of the Year Award and the Aspire Award, reflect his commitment to advancing science and securing substantial research funding. Mayel's wide-ranging expertise encompasses leadership, research in cardiac diseases, gene-editing, drug development, and more, while his dedication to teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration positions him as a respected leader in the scientific community, with a strong focus on innovation and patient care. Publications in high-impact journals and presentations at prestigious international conferences underscore his ongoing contributions to medical research.
Anusha Karna, MSc
Clinical Research Manager - IPF
(She/Her/Hers)
Anusha Karna is a dedicated professional with a strong passion for healthcare and research. Her educational journey led her to attain a dual master's degree in Global Health and Human Services Administration, complemented by a second master's degree in Pharmacy, specializing in Pharmaceutical Analysis and Quality Assurance. With over nine years of experience in the dynamic field of Clinical Research, she has honed her skills in designing, managing, and executing clinical trials that have a tangible impact on healthcare. Her work not only contributes to the advancement of medical science but also enhances healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
Will Johnston, MSc
CRA: Site Startup Specialist
(He/Him/His)
Will has been involved in all aspects of clinical research, from data acquisition and wet-lab work to study start-up, coordination, and project management. Since his introduction to clinical research, Will has lead various exercise oncology research studies and community-based initiatives, focusing on quality-of-life support, disease prevention, and treatment efficacy for individuals living with or impacted by cancer. Currently, Will is working at BTRG, overseeing start-up activities relating to the launch of new clinical research studies.
Beatriz de Barros, MSc
Clinical Research Coordinator
(She/Her/Hers)
Beatriz has been conducting research since 2016. She holds a master’s degree in nutrition and is currently a PhD candidate in the same field. At present, she serves as a Clinical Research Coordinator at Black Tusk Research Group, contributing to Healthy Heart studies.
Anna Appah, MSc
Clinical Research Coordinator
(She/Her/Hers)
Anna is a goal driven lady who believes in seizing opportunities when they arise. At the undergraduate level, Anna studied Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and later pursued a combined teaching and research assistantship at the Biochemistry Department (University of Ghana) and West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases respectively. Anna has a master’s in Health Sciences from SFU. Passionate about Healthcare, research and knowledge translation, Anna currently works with BTRG as a clinical research coordinator under the Healthy Heart team and hopes to make an impact in health administration and knowledge translation in healthcare across the globe.
Oksana Korolova, MD, PhD
Clinical Research Coordinator
(She/Her/Hers)
Oksana is a highly motivated Medical Research Specialist restarting his career in Canada at Black Tusk Research Group. She leverages her previous twenty years of experience in Ukraine to contribute to the treatment of people around the globe by conducting effective Clinical Trials in the BTRG team. She has practical medicine experience as an MD in the Main Military Medical Clinical Center (Kyiv, Ukraine) since 2002. Oksana holds a PhD in Neurology and has experience in Clinical Trials in different roles since 2018. She focused on excellence in international Clinical Trials standards and patient-oriented research practice.
Badri Soltani, MD
Clinical Research Coordinator
(She/Her/Hers)
Badri Soltani is a dedicated Clinical Research Coordinator. She joined the BTRG team at St. Paul's Hospital in 2021. Her involvement has been crucial in significant project successes, especially a notable multi-center US-based study where the team ranked first in Canada and fifth in North America.
Aside from her current role, Badri is a physician from her home country, now pursuing her medical license in Canada. Her contributions to patient-focused research and commitment to international clinical trial standards showcase her dedication to healthcare and global well-being.
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Jafar Hasbullah, PhD
Clinical Research Ethics Coordinator
(He/Him/His)
Jafar Hasbullah, PhD has a passion for ethics and policies that govern human welfare. His PhD research specialized in the critical field of pharmacogenetics and adverse drug reactions. At BTRG, he contributes his expertise to the ethics and regulatory department, overseeing multiple concurrent clinical trials and grant-funded patient research.
Amy Ho, RN
Clinical Research Ethics Coordinator
(She/Her/Hers)
Amy is responsible for ethics maintenance activities in BTRG. She has working experience in pharmaceutical, nutritional and food industries mainly in Medical Affairs and Clinical Research, Regulatory and Quality roles. Amy is a Registered Nurse in Ontario and Hong Kong.