Headlands Research Opens De Novo Grand Rapids Site to Meet Rising Rheumatology Trial Demand
核心洞察
Headlands Research (搜索) announced a new de novo clinical research site in Grand Rapids, Michigan, expected to open later this year under rheumatologist Eric Slavin, MD.
The site will anchor on rheumatology, bone and joint conditions, and autoimmune and inflammatory diseases while also running cardiometabolic, chronic kidney disease (搜索), obesity (搜索), and vaccine studies.
Headlands cited climbing sponsor demand in rheumatology and autoimmune disease (搜索) and said the Midwest lacks sufficient site capacity to absorb it.
Headlands Research (搜索) has announced the establishment of Headlands Research - Grand Rapids, a new de novo clinical research site in Grand Rapids, Michigan, led by board-certified rheumatologist and internist Eric Slavin, MD, FACP, FACR. The site is currently being developed and is expected to open later this year, according to the company's Sept. 10, 2026 announcement.
The network framed the expansion as a response to capacity constraints in the region. Sponsor demand in rheumatology and autoimmune disease (搜索) is outpacing available site capacity in much of the Midwest, and Headlands is betting Grand Rapids can absorb some of that pressure.
"Headlands Research (搜索) is committed to being the partner of choice for sponsors and CROs, giving them access to experienced investigators, engaged patient populations, and strong therapeutic knowledge," said Kyle Burtnett, CEO of Headlands Research. "Dr. Slavin brings exceptional clinical expertise and a deep commitment to his patients. Rheumatology and autoimmune disease (搜索) are therapeutic areas where sponsor demand continues to climb, and Grand Rapids gives us both a proven investigator and a strong new site to meet it."
Therapeutic Scope and Investigator Experience
Headlands Research (搜索) - Grand Rapids will expand the network's presence in the Midwest and strengthen its capabilities in rheumatology, bone and joint conditions, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and related therapeutic areas. The site will also conduct studies across general medicine, cardiometabolic disease, chronic kidney disease (搜索), obesity (搜索), hypertension (搜索), hyperlipidemia (搜索), and vaccines.
That breadth is deliberate for a network that needs each site to contribute enrollment across multiple sponsor relationships rather than a single specialty. Headlands has completed more than 5,000 clinical trials across its sites.
Slavin has participated in multiple Phase III and IV clinical trials evaluating novel therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (搜索) and other autoimmune conditions, including biologic and targeted disease-modifying treatments. His research experience spans sponsor-funded multicenter studies and biosimilar development. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and has been recognized as a Grand Rapids Magazine Top Doctor from 2021 through 2026.
"I'm excited to join Headlands and bring our research capabilities to participants and families throughout the Grand Rapids community," Slavin said. "Our team is committed to conducting high-quality research and providing participants with the same level of care, attention, and respect that they expect from their clinical providers."
Network Expansion Beyond Traditional Trial Corridors
The Grand Rapids opening is the fourth site addition in a short stretch. Headlands recently brought on Headlands Research (搜索) - Sacramento and Headlands Research - CTR-Lincoln through the acquisition of two CTR sites, and opened Headlands Research - Western Washington. Three of those four additions are in markets outside the traditional trial-dense corridors of the Northeast and California, suggesting the network is deliberately building coverage in regions where sponsors historically struggle to find qualified investigators for specialty indications.
Adding an investigator with Slavin's Phase III track record in a market not yet crowded with competing research infrastructure is a straightforward way for the network to add billable capacity without acquiring an existing practice's legacy complications.
What to Watch
The Grand Rapids site is still being developed, with an expected opening later this year. The metric to watch once it opens is how quickly Slavin's site gets onto sponsor shortlists for rheumatology and autoimmune studies, given that investigator reputation in those indications tends to drive site selection at least as much as geography does.