Q&A: Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, on the rise of clinical trials centers of excellence

Clinical trials centers of excellence aim to accelerate innovation through collaboration, standardization, and efficiency. (Image credit: AdobeStock/iQoncept)

The rise of clinical trials centers of excellence could mark a transformative shift in how ophthalmic research is conducted, according to Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University. Goldberg outlined a vision for standardized, collaborative, and high-efficiency clinical trial models that could accelerate discovery and reduce barriers for stakeholders across the field in his presentation at the Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation (CCOI)-Stanford Summit: Shaping the Future of Ophthalmic Innovation, held July 23, 2025, in Palo Alto, California.¹

Sheryl Stevenson, executive editor with the Eye Care Network, caught up with Goldberg to discuss the potential impact of these centers of excellence and what lies ahead for innovation in ophthalmic trials.

What are the key takeaways of your presentation at the CCOI-Stanford Summit?

(Image courtesy of Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD, Stanford University)

Jeffrey L. Goldberg, MD, PhD: We have a unique opportunity now to enhance how clinical trials are designed and implemented for eye- and vision-related drugs and devices. The science supporting novel diagnostics and therapeutics coming out of the laboratories has never been richer.

At the same time, the pressures to optimize clinical trials—time pressures, financial pressures, regulatory pressures—necessitate bringing improvements forward.

What defines a Clinical Trials Center of Excellence, and how does this model improve the quality and efficiency of clinical research in ophthalmology?

Goldberg: CCOI will next work on defining Clinical Trials Center of Excellence, but we already have a jump start. Quality measures, efficiency measures, standardization, protocol development and implementation, and collaborative approaches will all play into this definition.

How do Centers of Excellence address some of the systemic challenges that have traditionally slowed down or complicated ophthalmic clinical trials?

Goldberg: As a field we spend an outsized proportion of our clinical trial budgets on monitoring clinical trials—checking at each site for each patient and/or each trial for data quality and collection integrity. Bringing all interested sites up to speed with standard protocols will greatly reduce this burden and end up greatly reducing time and expense associated with clinical trials. Other benefits will greatly help industry partners and FDA colleagues, such as enhancing site selection toward high-quality, certified sites, and reducing burden associated with protocol training, and initiating and implementing trials.

What are the biggest barriers to scaling the Clinical Trials Center of Excellence model nationally or globally, and how can institutions or industry partners help overcome them?

Goldberg: Getting stakeholders aligned to these goals has traditionally been the biggest barrier, but we are seeing a high level of uptake and alignment already, with increased enthusiasm and motivation further.

How do you see Clinical Trials Centers of Excellence evolving over the next 5 to 10 years, and what role might they play in shaping the future of personalized or precision eye care?

Goldberg: Clinical Trials Centers of Excellence will also be positioned to quickly take up innovations in clinical trials and grow new implementations such as digital data collection. Building collaborative networks will also allow for newer, faster use of broad datasets to answer fundamental questions in eye and vision care. All of these together should accelerate drug and device approvals, algorithm development, and precision medicine applications.

Reference

1. Goldberg JL. The rise of clinical trials centers of excellence. Presented at: Collaborative Community on Ophthalmic Innovation (CCOI)-Stanford Summit: Shaping the Future of Ophthalmic Innovation; July 23, 2025; Stanford, California.