Virtual Research Office

Personnel

Download a printable list of committee members.

Regional Research Committee

Bechien U. Wu, MD

Chair (since 2018)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Stephanie Tovar, MS

RRC Manager

Stephanie.Tovar@kp.org

Antelope Valley

Jonathan Hien Truong, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2015)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

David Bronstein, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2019)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Baldwin Park

Gaurav Khanna, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2012)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Bobeck Modjtahedi, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2019)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Downey

Eugene A. Chu, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2015)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Rajeev Attam, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2018)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Fontana/San Bernardino

Conrad W. Liang, MD, PhD

Area Research Chair (since 2022)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Steve S. Lee, DO

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2016)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Los Angeles

Mingsum Lee, MD, PhD

Area Research Chair (since 2023)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Javed Sheikh, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2023)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Orange County

Emily L. Whitcomb, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2021)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Ali Ghobadi, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2021)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Panorama City

Ahmed Dehal, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2024)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Regional Laboratory

Darryl Palmer-Toy, MD, PhD

Area Research Chair

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Riverside/Palm Springs

Rachid A. Elkoustaf, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2018)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Vivienne S. Hau, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2018)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

San Diego

Shawn Menefee, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2017)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

South Bay

David S. Cohen, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2022)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

West Los Angeles/Kern

Michael J. Fassett, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2007)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Daniel T. Lang, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2010)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Woodland Hills/Ventura

Armen Aboulian, MD

Area Research Chair (since 2022)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Monique George, MD

Vice Area Research Chair (since 2022)

Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Research & Evaluation

Deborah Rohm Young, PhD, MBA

Area Research Chair (since 2021)

Deborah.R.Young@kp.org

Calendar

For assistance, email Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

RRC Proposal Submission Calendar 2024

RRC Funding Opportunities

The Regional Research Committee is seeking letters of intent for potential research proposals to be reviewed for the fall funding cycle. The committee’s goal is to support innovative physician-led projects that will impact practice. You may apply for either a Traditional Grant or the RRC-GME Research Program Development Grant. Please review the eligibility criteria and funding guidelines listed below.

Eligibility criteria

Traditional Grant: SCPMG partner or full-time associate physicians, Kaiser Permanente Southern California residents or fellows, or full-time Kaiser Permanente employees can apply for this grant. Retired SCPMG physicians, full-time staff in the Department of Research & Evaluation and other regional departments are not eligible.

RRC-GME Research Program Development Grant: Open to Graduate Medical Education faculty only.

Interested applicants should only apply for one grant. The deadline to submit a letter of intent for the fall cycle is Friday, July 19, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. To access the letter of intent template, select one of the links below.

• • RRC Letter of Intent (Fall 2024)
  • RRC-GME Research Program Development Grant (Fall 2024)

Funding guidelines

The RRC allocates funds for studies that add to the evidence base for high-quality medical care. Funding is available to support small, scale pilot studies and data review studies. RRC funding awards range between $8,000 and $55,000 (maximum limit). Physician time must be donated to the project. Funding support is available for one year. Only one project may be funded within 12 months. An investigator or team of investigators are not allowed to have separate studies funded by the RRC in the same funding cycle or overlapping funding cycles. During the 12-month funding period, all study-related activities must be completed, including all analyses.

Terms and conditions of award

The total project period for each award is one year. Regional Research Committee funding awards range between $8,000 and $55,000 (maximum). Reasonable travel expenses, necessary to the conduct of the project, are allowed. Funds for books and equipment are not allowed.

The award also does not provide salary support for personnel employed at other institutions. Reimbursement for physician time is not provided. With permission of their chief of service, physicians can spend their educational half-day and educational leave doing research. It should be remembered that each physician involved in research projects, regardless of source of funding, must have local administrative clearance for time involved in the form of signatures from the chief of service and area medical director.

If you have questions, please contact us at Regional-Research-Committee@kp.org

Researcher of the Year

Each year, the Southern California Permanente Medical Group recognizes a physician or surgeon for their outstanding contribution to research at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

Michael J. Fassett, MD, is the 2023 SCPMG Physician Researcher of the Year. He joined Kaiser Permanente in 2000. Since then, his dedication to his patients through research has grown. He’s published more than 50 research papers in peer-reviewed journals. Now, as the regional physician-in-charge for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and area research chair for West Los Angeles and Kern County, his research focuses on keeping moms and their babies healthy. Read more about Dr. Fassett in this 2024 interview. 

Previous Researchers of the Year