Clinical Trials at NIH: Health Care Professionals: RN Profiles: Laura D. Otten, R.N., B.S.N., O.C.N.

Laura D. Otten, R.N., B.S.N., O.C.N.

Medical Oncology Branch
Referral Coordinator

National Cancer Institute
9000 Rockville Pike
Building 10, Room 12N226,
MSC 1906
Bethesda, MD 20892

Phone: 301-451-1228
Toll free: 1-866-611-6340
Fax: 301-480-0919
ottenl@mail.nih.gov

Laura Otten received a Bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a member of the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) and a member of the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) and is certified through ONS as an Oncology Certified Nurse (OCN).

An oncology nurse since 1985, Ms. Otten has worked in a variety of healthcare settings including community-based physician practices, community and academic medical centers, and a National Cancer Institute (NCI) comprehensive cancer center. Currently, Ms. Otten coordinates clinical trial referrals for the Medical Oncology Branch of the Center for Cancer Research.

"Clinical research is key to improving the lives of people living with cancer. I very much enjoy helping people learn more about the clinical trial process and assisting them in selecting appropriate trial options. While participation in a clinical trial is voluntary and may not be right for everyone, I believe that you have never explored all of your cancer treatment options if you have not considered a clinical trial."

Research

The Medical Oncology Branch (MOB) has the following major functions: 1) clinical research; 2) clinical care; and 3) clinical training. The purpose of these functions is:

1) To develop novel therapeutic research strategies for the treatment of cancer and to test those strategies by conducting clinical research in medical oncology across a spectrum of diseases and disease mechanisms;

2) To provide clinical care to adult cancer patients enrolled in research protocols, including in-patient and out-patient care services, to support the clinical research effort emanating from principal investigators in laboratories and branches across the Center for Cancer Research (CCR); and

3) To train physician-scientists in a laboratory-to-clinic translational research setting to promote the development of their expertise in medical oncology research and to support their board certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).
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