Clinical Trials Office

Budget

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Budgeting

The budgeting team in the Clinical Trials Office develop and negotiate budgets and payment terms for industry funded clinical trials that will be conducted here at the University of Southern California. They serve as the university’s representatives in budget and payment term negotiations with the industry sponsors and/or CROs on behalf of the clinical staff.

Our budgeting policy does not allow the university to subsidize industry clinical trials, so the budgeting team ensures we finalize budgets that meet all clinical costs for research procedures and laboratory tests based on Medicare Coverage Analysis, ancillary services, clinical staffing cost and institutional overhead.

Study Team Responsibilities

  • If your department budgeting guide is based on complexity levels for trial staffing cost, indicate the complexity level in OnCore at time of new study submission.
  • If possible, attend kick-off meeting scheduled by our office to discuss any ancillary departments that will be required for the conduct of the trial (i.e. USC Stevens Center), special budgeting needs the trial will require and address any budgeting questions the assigned budget specialist may have.
  • If applicable, provide cost for any third-party vendor providing clinical service (i.e. outside non-USC lab like Quest)
  • If applicable, review the internal budget assessment sent by the assigned budget specialist within five (5) calendar days.

Budget Development Process

Once the Medicare Coverage Analysis “MCA” is completed, the assigned budget apecialist will develop a budget assessment based on the following:

  • Clinical costs for all research procedures, research laboratory tests (local and central), and any other research related items such as hospital stays (inpatient and/or observational)
  • Cost for any ancillary departments (i.e., Clinical Trials Unit, USC Stevens Center)
  • Clinical Trial staffing costs (i.e., investigator, coordinator, data manager)
  • If applicable, patient stipend and/or reimbursement
  • Appropriate institutional overhead
  • All applicable administrative fees
budgetting

Pre-Award: Budgeting Team Bios and Responsibilities

Teresa Trejo, Budgeting Manager, oversees the budgeting team here at the Clinical Trials Office and serves as a USC representative in budgeting matters for industry-sponsored clinical trial budgets. She has been with USC for over 20 years where she has gained extensive knowledge in developing and negotiating budgets for clinical trials. She has successfully built great working relationships with sponsoring companies and clinical research staff.

[email protected]

Esther Suko, Senior Budget Specialist, is responsible for the development, review and negotiations of budgets and payment terms for industry sponsored clinical trials. She also serves as a resource for the budgeting team on budgeting matters that require escalation. Her main therapeutic area portfolio is phase I studies under the Oncology department. She also has years of experience in clinical trials accounting.

[email protected]

Rosy Lafko, Budget Specialist, is responsible for the development, review and negotiations of budgets and payment terms for industry sponsored clinical trials. She brings years of experience from having worked on the pharmaceutical side. Her main therapeutic areas portfolio are Surgery and Cardiovascular device clinical trials.

[email protected]

Madelyn Aman, Budget Specialist, is responsible for the development, review and negotiations of budgets and payment terms for industry sponsored clinical trials. Prior to joining USC’s Clinical Trials Office in 2024, she gained 7 years of experience as a study coordinator, conducting clinical trials and managing site pre-award and post-award activities. Her therapeutic areas portfolio are Neurology, Ophthalmology, and divisions under the Department of Medicine.

[email protected]

Javier Espinal, Budget Specialist, is responsible for the development, review and negotiations of budgets and payment terms for industry sponsored clinical trials. Javier joined USC’s Clinical Trials Office in 2025 with knowledge and expertise in budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, and strategic planning as a controller and lead budget negotiator. He graduated from UT Arlington with degrees in both Finance and Management.