In recognition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month this May, ACRP asked Sharleen Traynor, PhD, MPH, ACRP-CP, Director of the Clinical Trials Research Associate Program at Durham Technical Community College in North Carolina, to share her thoughts on the importance that AANHPI heritage has had in her life and more broadly in the clinical research enterprise, both for participants and professionals. 

The power of clinical research lies not just in individual trials, but in the collective knowledge we build together. From learning from every setback to celebrating every success, the determination and effort of both patients and researchers fuels a powerful cycle of discovery.

A poster on “Understanding the Role of CROs and Sponsors During the Feasibility Process to Increase Enrollment for Racial and Ethnic Minorities in Clinical Trials” was judged the best of the 10 posters accepted for presentation at the recent ACRP 2025 conference in New Orleans, La. It is the brainchild of Jalen Denson, BSPHc, LSSWB, who worked on the topic as an undergraduate student at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pa.