The University of Missouri Clinical & Translational Science Unit brings scientific discovery to the realm of patient care by supporting patients, volunteers and researchers who participate in clinical trials and other forms of clinical research. Clinical trials are research studies that are carefully designed to answer questions about the safety and effectiveness of medical treatments for illness and injuries. These treatments could be drugs, devices, types of exercise, nutritional regimens or mental health therapies. The studies may test new treatments or compare existing treatments to determine which works best. The University of Missouri has more than 800 clinical trials in the process of improving health and quality of life.

Located on the fifth floor of MU’s University Hospital and School of Medicine, the center is ideally positioned to serve as a bridge between clinical medicine and biomedical science. The location is easily accessible by patients and volunteers, as well as scientists and clinicians throughout the University of Missouri’s schools, centers and network of hospitals and clinics.

MU’s Clinical & Translational Science Unit contains an advanced inpatient Phase 1 clinical trials unit, five inpatient beds, three outpatient exam rooms, a metabolic kitchen to support nutrition studies and an exercise facility. The center also contains work areas specifically for researchers, including meeting rooms, a general laboratory and information technology facilities. The environment is designed to support clinical and translational scientists, as well as training programs for physicians who want to contribute to clinical research.

Clinical Team Members

Mihiri De Silva, BSN RN CMSRN PCRN
Nurse Clinician
Mihiri has four years of practice as a front line nurse in Family Medicine and Acute Care of the Elderly Unit. She has held many roles in health care over the years — medical records technician, care tech associate, unit clerk, hematology lab technician and research specialist.

Britlyn Brown, BSN, RN
Nurse Clinician
Britlyn graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Central Methodist University. She has developed as been spent in the newborn intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital. Britlyn has been a recipient of MU Healthcare’s prestigious Employee of the Month and Role Model awards. 

Taylor Mathews, ADN, RN
Nurse Clinician
Taylor graduated with an Associate Degree of Nursing from Moberly Area Community College. She has been practicing as an RN for the past five years in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital and has experience in geriatric care as an LPN for a total of two years at Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center. Taylor has received multiple Teamwork Awards in her career in NICU and multiple recognitions from patients and family members throughout her career.

Tami Day, DNP, RN, EBP-C
Nurse Manager
Tami is a three-time honors graduate of MU’s prestigious Sinclair School of Nursing (BSN ’05; MSN ’17; DNP ’20) with the most recent, a Doctorate of Nursing Practice in May, 2020.  She has worked for MU Health Care and School of Medicine for twenty-five years and has a wealth of experience in acute and ambulatory care, care coordinator, research, quality improvement and nursing administration.  Tami is a published author and has presented at numerous national professional healthcare conferences.  She currently serves as adjunct faculty for Sinclair School of Nursing and Trulaske College of Business and was among the first 40 in the county to earn specialty certification in evidence-based practice.  Tami also serves as an evidence-based practice for the Helene Fuld Institute of Evidence-based Practice at Ohio State University.