Headache Research
The Chicago Headache Center & Research Institute (CHCRI) is a private specialty clinic with a dedicated research department and locations in Chicago and Naperville, Illinois. By integrating research with specialty headache care, we offer sponsors access to an established patient population across the greater Chicagoland area.
Led by Bradley Torphy, MD, Managing Director and Principal Investigator, and Melody Smith, Director of Research & Development, our department brings experience across all phases of clinical research. Our portfolio includes adult and pediatric migraine studies evaluating acute and preventive therapies, injectable treatments, combination therapies, and medical devices, with patient-reported outcomes incorporated to assess treatment benefit and patient experience.
Both locations are staffed with Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) and research interns. Each study is assigned a primary CRC and two research interns as backup, providing continuity, coordinated coverage, and support for study activities. Every research team member holds certifications in:
- Good Clinical Practice through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI)
- IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations
- ISO 14155:2011 for medical device clinical investigations
- Columbia–Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
Our research facilities include private exam rooms and examination tables, blood pressure monitors and cuffs, thermometers, pulse oximeters, stethoscopes, weighing scales, and stadiometers. Study capabilities are supported by electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG) equipment, ambient centrifuges, refrigerators maintained at 2°C–8°C for sample and pharmacy storage, and −20°C freezers. Investigational product storage includes a locked pharmacy refrigerator maintained at 2°C–8°C and a controlled-access cabinet bolted to the wall for controlled substances.
Our team supports the full study lifecycle, including feasibility assessments, budget and contract negotiation, regulatory submissions, site activation, recruitment and retention, study visits, investigational product accountability, safety reporting, data management, monitoring, and closeout. Research staff collaborate closely with our providers to identify eligible participants and coordinate protocol-required care.
Beyond sponsor-led trials, CHCRI conducts investigator-initiated studies, retrospective chart reviews, and real-world outcomes research examining treatment effectiveness, combination therapies, inpatient headache outcomes, medication access barriers, and patient experience. We develop findings into scientific abstracts, posters, presentations, and manuscripts, while supporting research education through staff training and a structured internship program.
CHCRI offers sponsors an experienced, accessible research partner with dedicated staffing at both locations, established clinical infrastructure, and a commitment to participant safety, protocol adherence, data quality, and responsive communication.
