The Duke School of Medicine (SOM) announced this week that Charles “Chuck” Scales, Jr., MD, MSHS, has been named the new associate dean for Clinical Research Initiatives, effective Jan. 1. Duke CTSI is pleased to announce that Scales will also serve as the director of the Clinical Research Networks Pillar, effective Jan. 1.
As associate dean for Clinical Research Initiatives, Scales will provide strategic vision and oversight of clinical research initiatives within the Duke SOM. In his role with the CTSI Clinical Research Networks Pillar, Scales will oversee functions associated with the ethical and equitable conduct of clinical research within Duke, leveraging best practices and working to disseminate learnings across the clinical research domain. These roles are complementary and will ensure alignment of clinical research priorities across both the SOM and CTSI.
Scales will direct the work of multiple programs, including the CTSI’s Clinical Research Unit, the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Quality, the CTSA Participant and Clinical Interactions core, the Primary Care Research Consortium, and the Clinical Data Research Network. In addition, he will work to support the ongoing development of our Community-Partnered Research Network.
“Dr. Scales has the breadth and depth of experience needed to support CTSI’s clinical research initiatives,” said Susanna Naggie, MD, MHS, vice dean of Clinical and Translational Research and director of the CTSI. “He has a proven track record in clinical research, leadership, mentorship, and allyship. We are excited to have him serve in this important role.”
Scales is an associate professor of urology, associate professor in population health sciences, a member of the Duke Clinical Research institute, and an affiliate faculty member in the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy. He received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology, followed by a master’s degree at Harvard University and medical degree at Duke University. He completed his residency in urology at Duke University and was awarded a prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar Fellowship to pursue urologic research at UCLA before returning to Duke as a faculty member in 2013.
Scales is a urologic surgeon and a clinical/health services researcher with a strong clinical research portfolio. He is principal investigator for the multicenter Prevention of Urinary Stones with Hydration (PUSH) study, which is the largest stone prevention trial to date. He has led a national program to build clinical research capacity in urology and co-leads a data initiative to provide insights into health equity and quality of care for urologic conditions across the United States.
Nationally recognized for his epidemiology, health services, and incentive science research, much of which has implications for translating research advances to patients and communities, Scales’ work crosses multiple clinical disciplines beyond urology, including emergency medicine, infectious diseases, nephrology, and geriatrics. He trained in health policy, community partnered research, and quality improvement in the UCLA Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars program. Scales also leads the annual course on data and health care transformation in the Duke Master of Management in Clinical Informatics program.
Scales believes that every Duke patient and caregiver should have an opportunity to advance science and improve health by contributing to the clinical research mission, whether as a participant, research partner, advocate, or in another role. “As clinicians and investigators, we have an obligation to accelerate the translation of scientific advances to patients, clinical care, and populations, while sustaining processes that maintain research ethics, regulatory compliance, and scientific integrity,” said Scales.