Emmes, a global, full-service Clinical Research Organization (CRO) dedicated to supporting the advancement of public health and biopharmaceutical innovation, has announced Ching Tian as Chief Innovation Officer.

Emmes Chief Executive Officer Dr. Christine Dingivan said, “Ching brings a wealth of data and digital experience, which will be immediately useful as we accelerate our transition to decentralized trials. Her role is to work across the company to integrate technology and processes that strengthen the way we’ll address clinical trials of the future.”

Tian said, “As a biostatistician by training, I have spent many years leading functional operations and optimizing the clinical trial processes through technology with a data focus. What attracted me to Emmes were Dr. Dingivan’s vision of Emmes as a tech-enabled CRO, the company’s roots in biostatistics, its 45-year history and science-based, high-quality clinical research reputation."

“I’m very proud to have contributed to the industry’s Decentralized Clinical Trials (DCT) and digital evolution over the past five years,” noted Tian.

“The speed of adoption has been unprecedented. The solutions are still a work in process, however, especially in areas of reducing overall complexity and user experience," commented Tian.

“That is why this is such an exciting time for the industry and for Emmes. Our data expertise and rich experience from design to submission, plus our mid-size position in the market, will be a fertile ground for rapid innovation and scaling. I’m very impressed with what the Emmes team has accomplished, and I’m excited to help lead the next phase of innovation,” added Tian.

Before joining Emmes, Tian was senior vice president of strategy and solutions at Medable, where she created and was responsible for its DCT product strategy.

In addition, Tian’s CRO and pharma experience included leadership positions at PPD and MedImmune/AstraZeneca, where she held roles of increasing responsibility in areas such as global pharmacovigilance systems, early clinical development services, global clinical informatics, data management, statistical programming, and clinical technology operations.

Tian holds a master’s degree in biostatistics from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Hangzhou Dianzi University in China.