MERIT Executive Spotlight is a series featuring executive team members introducing themselves and explaining why they chose to work in the clinical trials industry and at MERIT.
With a decade of previous reading center experience and a PhD in Biomedical Science, Dr. Laura Erker brings over 20 years of ophthalmology and research experience to MERIT.
What is your role at MERIT?
Effective communication and coordination are key to ensuring that the MERIT Reading Center is poised to deliver quality data on-time. I oversee the team of ophthalmology graders and imaging analytics staff. I serve as a liaison between MERIT and Sponsors, CROs, and government and regulatory agencies. I also manage internal resources to ensure project reading needs are met, and direct reader training and quality monitoring activities. I track upcoming studies to ensure that we have adequate staff to deliver high quality data to our customers in a timely manner.
What do you like about working at MERIT?
I consider myself lucky to work with our fantastic group of Graders and Readers, where I get to learn about disease specific ophthalmic imaging and functional testing endpoints in active clinical trials. Everyone at MERIT is working to achieve success for the company. Anyone I ask is happy to jump in and help solve challenges.
What is your department’s most important contribution to MERIT?
Our sponsors are heavily invested in their clinical trials and are working in a very competitive environment. So, for them time is money, and MERIT is committed to providing data according to their timelines and needs, without sacrificing quality.
Why did you get into clinical research?
After 14 years in the lab, I really wanted a change from regular bench work. So, I applied to work with a clinical trials group and absolutely loved being a part of work that helps people directly.
What do you do in your free time?
Mostly laundry… just kidding! While my family does create copious amounts of laundry, I enjoy cooking, baking, and running the trails with my labrador, Finley.
Connect with Dr. Erker on LinkedIn