The CRIT team includes about 40 digital health and information technology specialists with broad expertise relating to clinical research administration.

We work diligently in support of MSK’s vast portfolio of clinical trials, and we are committed to providing a number of advantages to our valued industry clinical partners.  These include:

• Improved efficiency: When clinical research sites and academic-research partners require sponsors to spend unnecessary time and money on redundant data entry, no one benefits—including patients. CRIT has developed a customer-friendly, easy-to-use system that facilitates efficient data entry.
• Enhanced data quality: Quick and easy is important, but successful results depend upon data accuracy.  CRIT has achieved significant breakthroughs in recent years in the all-important objective of producing “cleaner” data for use by all key stakeholders.
• Enhanced access to innovation: We are proud of our record of achieving significant and continuous improvements in this area, thanks to MSK’s success in identifying, testing, and implementing new clinical research technologies.

On a global scale, there is still much to be accomplished in terms of improving all aspects of clinical research administration.

But there is so much potential—and MSK and its CRIT team are working to achieve this through our institution-wide commitment to innovation. Our current areas of activity include initiatives aimed at improving data collection and accuracy, facilitating communication with industry sponsors and regulators, and applying AI and other digital health technologies to reducing inefficiencies. As always, our all-important focus is on our patients and their healthcare outcomes.

In related activities, MSK is a global leader in the HL7-FHIR transfer of clinical research data space. As such, CRIT’s team of experts regularly provide insights and subject matter expertise on a variety of external consortia.  Our clinical research experts serve on the Vulcan HL7 FHIR Accelerator Steering Committee and as Implementation Working Group Co-Chair; and as SCDM eSource Implementation Consortium Co-Chair. Additionally, we offer strategic insights and thought leadership through podcasts, blogs, conference presentations, and publications in academic journals.

Joseph Lengfellner, B.S.
Director, Clinical Research Informatics & Technology

Joseph (Joe) Lengfellner is a seasoned Digital Health Innovator with over 15 years of experience in transforming clinical research through cutting-edge technology solutions. As Senior Director of Clinical Research Informatics & Technology, he leads a team of about 40 digital health and information technology professionals who support MSK’s global clinical research administration.

Joe joined MSK in 2008, and he has been at the forefront of deploying technologies that enhance the patient and clinician experience, streamline operations, and foster innovative clinical trials. With a deep expertise in FHIR, eCOA, and a proven track record in leading large, dynamic teams, he continues to implement a digital roadmap that underscores the intersection of healthcare and IT for improved research outcomes.

Previously, Joe served as a research assistant at SUNY Stony Brook. He received his BS degree in Psychology from SUNY Stony Brook.

Renata Panchal, M.S.
Director, Clinical Research Informatics & Technology

Renata Panchal serves as Director of MSK’s Clinical Research Informatics and Technology team.  In this role, she leads the product management team in charge of the IT products and technology solutions supporting MSK’s clinical research program.

Renata brings an innovation-focused systems-thinking approach to oncology research trials. Her work with CRIT is informed by her clinical research experience, having worked in clinical research operations at MSK for eight years prior to joining the team.

Renata holds a Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering from the Tandon School of Engineering at New York University.

Michael Buckley, MS, MBA
Associate Director of Product Management, Clinical Research Informatics & Technology

Michael Buckley (Mike) has served as CRIT’s Associate Director of Product Management since October 2022. In this role, he leads diverse teams who translate user needs into transformative digital products that improve the quality, cost, and experience of healthcare for MSK clinical research customers.

Michael joined MSK in 2008. He served as the Manager of Enterprise Clinical Research Innovation (2014-2022) and, earlier, as Manager of the Department of Medicine Clinical Trials Office.  Prior to joining MSK, Michael was Associate Research Scientist and Manager of the Clinical Core Laboratories of The NYU School of Medicine’s Cancer Institute, which included the radiochemistry, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics core facilities. 

Michael holds a BS in Chemistry from Allegheny College, an MS in Biology from NYU, and an MBA, with a specialization in high technology, from Northeastern University. With more than 20 years of experience in oncology research, he currently serves as a Steering Committee Member, HL7 Vulcan; he is also the Co-Founder and Co-Chair, of the Society for Clinical Data Management’s eSource Implementation Consortium.

Anna Patruno, BS
Product Manager, Clinical Research Informatics & Technology

Anna Patruno is a Product Manager in MSK’s CRIC team. Since April 2022, she has been leading the EHR2EDC initiative, collaborating closely with both internal and external stakeholders to improve data entry processes within the clinical research industry.

Anna has a decade of experience driving impactful change within the research and healthcare industries. Prior to joining CRIT, she was an integral member of the Genomics Core Facility within MSK’s Sloan Kettering Institute. She began her career as a Research Technician and evolved into a Software Engineer, developing many of the lab’s digital products.

Anna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, with a minor in Neuroscience, from Marymount Manhattan College.

Saif Siamawalla, MHA
Product Manager, Clinical Research Informatics & Technology

Saif Siamawalla is CRIT’s Product Manager in charge of CR Financials and Research Nonbillables. He has served in this role since June 2022, collaborating closely with the Budgets, Contracts, and RNB teams to pinpoint major obstacles within their workflows and pave the way for integration of technology solutions.

With a focus on solutions aimed at streamlining repetitive tasks through automation or enhance user experience, Saif has spearheaded the development and implementation of a diverse array of innovative products within the CR Finance sphere, while also aiding in the important challenge of modernizing legacy applications. Prior to joining MSK, Saif was a Product Manager at New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he worked on the organization’s digital initiative by building AI products for various clinical teams.

Saif received his Master’s degree in Health Administration from Rutgers University in December 2022. Among his IT-related credentials, he is a Certified Scrum Master, SAFe 6 Product Manager, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.

Cenia Thomas, BS
Product Manager, Clinical Research Informatics & Technology

Cenia Thomas is a Product Manager on the CRIT team. Since June 2021, she has led its data transformation initiative, collaborating closely with both internal and external stakeholders and registries such as CIBMTR to facilitate electronic data transfer, with the goal of eliminating manual data abstraction and data entry, thus reducing data entry errors.

Prior to joining MSK, Cenia was a product manager at Montefiore Health System, where she led a team and managed systems crucial to cardiology. Cenia has over 18 years of experience in Healthcare IT, supporting both clinical and financial systems, developing processes, and optimizing workflows.