Also known as the California Institute of Renal Research
Patients
Clinical trials are experiments designed to find out whether an intervention is safe and effective and that the potential benefits of the intervention outweigh the risks. There are two types, observational studies, and clinical trials.
Sponsors
Balboa Research SMO+ also known as the California Institute of Renal Research, a wholly owned subsidiary of Balboa Nephrology. With 6 Principal Investigators and 23 dedicated research staff across 3 fully equipped research sites in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
For 20+ years, Balboa Research SMO+ has leveraged its scope, scale, and affiliation with Balboa Nephrology to collaborate early with pharmaceutical and medical device sponsors on cutting-edge therapeutics and diagnostics.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are a type of research that studies new tests and treatments and evaluates their effects on human health outcomes. People volunteer to take part in clinical trials to test medical interventions including drugs, cells and other biological products, surgical procedures, radiological procedures, devices, behavioural treatments and preventive care.
Medical research projects play an important role in the future of healthcare in the United States. Participating in a research study or a clinical trial has the potential to benefit both the individual participants and other people who have or may acquire health issues or diseases in the future.
Balboa Research Leadership Team
Andrew Cabodi, MBA, MS
Chief Operating Officer
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Andrew Cabodi is Chief Operating Officer of Balboa Nephrology. He brings extensive experience scaling healthcare organizations, strengthening operations, and building high-performing teams.
Andrew began his healthcare career at DaVita Kidney Care, where he helped develop some of the organization’s earliest value-based care programs. He later held operational leadership roles with Autism in Motion Clinics and IVX Health, helping guide both organizations through periods of rapid growth and eventual acquisition.
Andrew earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Design Innovation from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from the University of Southern California.
With a focus on creating efficiencies and developing sustainable practices, Andrew works to improve both patient outcomes and the employee experience.
A Southern California native, Andrew enjoys hiking, spending time outdoors, and experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.
Achille Peiris, DHSc, MSHS, MHA
Senior Director of Research Operations
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Achille Peiris serves as Senior Director of Research Operations for Balboa Nephrology and the California Institute of Renal Research. She leads strategic clinical-trial portfolio growth, research infrastructure, protocol development, sponsor relationships, data operations and health economics and outcomes research initiatives.
Before joining Balboa, Achille led clinical research and data operations at Cedars-Sinai’s Smidt Heart Institute, where she built the Cardiothoracic Surgery Data and Clinical Research Department and helped expand its portfolio of FDA-regulated cardiovascular and transplant studies. She has contributed to more than 45 peer-reviewed publications and national presentations and brings extensive experience in clinical-trial management, regulatory compliance, research databases and real-world evidence. Achille is also a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and is helping advance AI-enabled patient screening and nephrology outcomes research at Balboa.
George Nilsson
Clinical Research Director
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George Nilsson serves as Clinical Research Director for Balboa Research, leading research-site operations, staff development, trial performance and quality across the organization. He works closely with research teams, principal investigators, sponsors and clinical research organizations to support enrollment goals while maintaining research integrity, data accuracy and compliance with FDA regulations, Good Clinical Practice and industry guidelines.
With more than 20 years of clinical research experience, George has advanced from clinical research coordinator to clinical trial manager and director. His experience spans the planning, initiation, conduct and closeout of clinical trials, as well as market analysis, sponsor relationships, business development and the evaluation of opportunities to expand Balboa Research. His extensive institutional knowledge helps connect strong clinical-trial execution with the organization’s continued growth.
Diego de Silva
Clinical Trials Manager
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Diego de Silva serves as Clinical Trials Manager for Balboa Research, overseeing clinical trial operations and working closely with principal investigators, research teams, pharmaceutical sponsors and clinical research organizations.
A physician with experience in clinical medicine and Phase I–III research, Diego brings expertise in patient enrollment, safety oversight, protocol review, staff training and research operations. He is particularly committed to helping patients understand clinical research and reducing barriers to trial participation among underserved populations. His clinical background also includes perioperative care and emergency medicine service with the Mexican Red Cross in Tijuana, including frontline care during the COVID-19 pandemic.