Ophthalmology

Meet the Clinical Trials Unit

  • Lisa A. Hark, PhD, MBA

    • Director, Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Ophthalmology
    • Professor of Ophthalmic Sciences (Ophthalmology) at CUMC

    Dr. Hark has been Director of the Ophthalmology Clinical Trials Unit since 2017 and oversees all research coordinators. She is the initial contact for industry-sponsored trials and works closely with the central Clinical Trials Office at the medical center for study start-up. 

  • Marzhan (Margo) Atakulova, MD

    • Co-Director, Clinical Trials Unit, Regulatory/IRB Manager

    Marzhan (Margo) is an ophthalmologist and experienced research manager who was appointed co-director of the Clinical Trials Unit in 2022. She supervises the staff with Dr. Hark and manages all study start-up and regulatory documents. 

  • Maribel Rodriguez, MD

    • Clinical Research Project Manager, Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Ophthalmology

    Maribel Rodriguez, MD is a physician and experienced clinical research coordinator who has been working in the Opthhalmology Clinical Trials Unit since 2012. She works extensively on industry-sponsored clinical trials focusing on inherited retinal diseases, many of which include genetic testing.

  • Lam Lu, BS

    • Clinical Research Project Manager, Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Ophthalmology

    Lam Lu is a clinical research project manager at Columbia University Irving Medical Center in the Department of Ophthalmology where he is working on departmental and sponsor-initiated clinical trials. His current projects involve advancements in visual fields, OCT-imaging, neuroprotection and augmented/virtual reality. He is currently studying to obtain an MBA from Columbia Business School.

  • Ioannis Michalopoulos, BA

    • Senior Research Worker, Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Ophthalmology

    Ioannis is an experienced research coordinator and ocular techinican who is primarily focused on glaucoma-related trials. 

  • Sokleab Em, COA

    • Research Coordinator, Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Ophthalmology

    Sokleab is an experienced opthalmic technician who was working at ColumbiaDoctors Ophthalmology for the past 8 years. She joined the Clinical Trials Unit research staff full-time 2022 as a study coordinator for glaucoma and retina clinical trials.

  • Stefania Maruri, BS

    • Senior Research Worker, Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study

    Stefania has 10 years experience as a manager of an optometric store that helps community members obtain quality eye care, eye glasses, and contact lens. She began working at Columbia Opthalmology in 2019 and is overseeing all aspects of the NYC-SIGHT Coordinating Center and the Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study.

  • Desiree R. Henriquez, BA

    • Research Coordinator, Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study

    Desiree is an experienced opthalmic technician who joined Columbia Ophthalmology in 2021 and is responsible for coordinating all administrative aspects of the Manhattan Vision Screenign and Follow-up Study. She also conducts eye health screenings, takes fundus photographs and eye pressure, and schedules follow-up appointment for study participants.

  • Mary Wang, BS

    • Data Coordinator, Manhattan Vision Screening and Follow-up Study

    Mary completed an MPH with a focus on Biostatistics at the Mailman School of Public Health MPH program. She completed her Summer Research Practicum in the Department of Ophthalmology in 2022 and worked as a research assistant in 2022 and  2023. She is now serving as a Data Coordinator assisting with data cleaning, statistical analysis, and manuscript writing and submissions for numerous investigator initiated studies.

  • Edylin Ma Bautista, MD

    • Clinical Research Project Manager, Clinical Trials Unit, Department of Ophthalmology