Nevada Opens Biobank to Bring Clinical Trials Home

For decades, Nevadans facing cancer, lung disease, or other serious conditions had to leave their home state to access experimental treatments. That's changing fast thanks to a groundbreaking partnership bringing world-class medical research to their doorstep.

The University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine and Renown Health joined forces to create Nevada's first integrated academic health system. The result? Clinical trial opportunities have exploded from just 35 studies in 2021 to more than 140 active trials today.

"At its heart, this affiliation is about patients," says Kristen Gurnea, director of clinical research at Renown Health. The team supporting these trials has grown from five staff members to 35, now including over 50 investigators across specialties like cancer care and pulmonary medicine.

The crown jewel of this expansion is a new biobank opening in September 2026 at UNR Med's Translational Research Center. This facility will store biological samples that help researchers develop new treatments faster, creating a direct pipeline from laboratory discovery to patient care.

Dr. Eric Kim, who leads clinical research at UNR Med while serving as chief of urology at Renown Health, sees the infrastructure investment paying off. "Building research infrastructure represents a core investment paving the way for recruitment of clinician researchers who will perform clinical trials and compete for external funding," he explains.

The partnership has already produced real results. Renown researchers helped advance a newly approved therapy for pulmonary fibrosis and improved lung biopsy technology. They've earned national recognition as the highest-enrolling site for two major prostate cancer studies.

Renown Health recently earned accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, joining just 63 institutions nationwide with this distinction. The recognition confirms their commitment to research quality and patient safety.

The Ripple Effect

The transformation extends beyond individual patients. UNR operates as a Carnegie R1 research university, placing it in the top 3% of institutions for research activity nationwide. This status attracts top physician-scientists who might otherwise skip Nevada entirely.

Dr. Lucia Notterpek, senior associate dean of research at UNR Med, emphasizes the collaborative nature of their work. "Research is a team sport, and we all bring unique expertise to the problems we study," she says. Her team is currently studying Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, the most common inherited nerve disorder.

The partnership creates opportunities on both sides. Physicians gain access to laboratory infrastructure and research support that would be impossible in private practice alone. Patients receive care from dedicated research teams focused on their safety and well-being while accessing treatments not yet available to the general public.

For communities across Nevada, the message is clear: hope and healing are coming home.