About Laguna Clinical Research Associates, LLC
Laguna Clinical Research consists of a multi-disciplinary group of physicians working together to enhance medical care in the Laredo community by offering clinical studies tailored to the specific needs of their patient populations. Our physician group consists of internal medicine, nephrology, dermatology, and pediatric specialists, and we continue to add new specialists to meet the needs of clinical research in our community.
Sponsors can rely on consistent quality and study-related compliance at Laguna Research across a wide spectrum of specialty areas.
Milton Haber, M.D.
(1952-2023) ✞
Founding Member, Deceased
Dr. Haber was the co-founder of the Laguna Clinical Research serving as the President since its inception in April 2018. He was the physician on record and medical director responsible for conducting studies in addition to igniting the passion for his research mission among his physician colleagues. He also served as President and Medical Director for Urgent Care on Del Mar from December 2017 to 2023; and Principal for his private practice Milton Haber MD from 1987 to 2023. His businesses were all based out of Laredo, Texas.
Dr. Haber’s legacy is the guiding light as he is remembered through his research mission to bring clinical research to his hometown. He believed it was of utmost importance for as many physicians in as many subspecialities of medicine as possible to have access to clinical research to serve the evolving needs of the medical landscape and to serve the minority and underserved communities with cutting edge medicine. We proudly continue his mission at Laguna Clinical Research Associates as we move forward to forge new paths for research in Laredo.
We salute you as the founder of our mission, Dr. Haber! May your legacy live on! Thank you from your Laguna team!
History of Laguna Clinical Research Associates, LLC
A Narrative of the History below the timeline:
Formed in 2018
Late 2018 & Early 2019
June 2019
Dec 2019
2020
2021
Mission for Laguna:
Bringing New Horizons and New Medicine to underserved communities one patient at a time.
Customer Service Philosophy:
Everyone who shows up in the clinic or answers a call from the site deserves world-class treatment whether they choose to participate in a research study or not.
Our Investigators
Laredo, TX
Jose L. Berlioz, M.D.
Dr. Jose L. Berlioz is a neonatologist in Laredo, Texas and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Doctors Hospital of Laredo and Laredo Medical Center. He received his medical degree from National University of Honduras and he is board certified in Pediatrics. He has been practicing medicine for more than 35 years. From 1998 to 2002, he was a Medical Director for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Doctors Hospital of Laredo. Dr. Berlioz diagnoses and treats newborns with conditions such as breathing disorders, infections, and coordinates care and manages newborns born prematurely.
Robert D. Hudson, M.D
Dr. Jorge Barboza-Sosa is Internal Medicine physician. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1997 and received his medical degree from the same location in 1994. He has over 20 years of experience in Eagle Pass, Texas. He has provided care to patients since 2007 in an outpatient setting at his private practice, as well as to inpatients at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Hospital. His services include preventive care, medical check-ups, immunizations, medical treatment for disease like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Dr. Robert Hudson, In honor of your service to Laredo for Dermatology and Laguna Clinical Research Associates, we will always remember you
Olayinka Holt, M.D
Dr. Olayinka Holt is a nephrologist in Laredo, TX and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Laredo Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Laredo. She received her medical degree from St Luke's University School of Medicine Belize, and her internal medicine residency and Nephrology Fellowship from Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Holt's medical practice has traversed for over 21 years. Dr. Holt is board certified in Internal Medicine where she has experience in treatment in metabolic syndrome, acute renal failure, chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, end stage renal disease, peritoneal dialysis, and hypertensive emergency.
Nurse. Marco Vela,
Marco Vela attended Texas A&M International University to obtain his Registered Nurse license and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi to obtain his Family Nurse Partitioner license. His commitment to quality and preventative care has over 10 years of ER and critical care experience, and more than 25 years as an RN. Marco’s areas of experience include critical care, internal medicine, advanced cardiovascular life support, and therapy. He has been a Sub-Investigator at Laguna Clinical Research since 2019. He enjoys educating the public on the benefits of clinical research.
Ronald Meza, N.P
Ronald Meza, MSN, AGACNP-BC has over 21 years of nursing experience and has been in the healthcare industry for 28 yrs. He obtained his master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and was credentialed through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (AANC) Board. He has been practicing as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse for 4 yrs. Ron’s areas of experience include critical care, internal medicine, pulmonology, and oncology. Ron has been serving as a Sub-Investigator at Laguna Clinical Research since 2019. He leads the Laguna Research team with his critical care expertise.
Eagle Pass, TX
Jorge Barboza, M.D.
Dr. Jorge Barboza-Sosa is Internal Medicine physician. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1997 and received his medical degree from the same location in 1994. He has over 20 years of experience in Eagle Pass, Texas. He has provided care to patients since 2007 in an outpatient setting at his private practice, as well as to inpatients at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Hospital. His services include preventive care, medical check-ups, immunizations, medical treatment for disease like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Urgent Care/Laguna Clinical Research – Central Site, Laredo, TX
Dr. Haber is the co-founder of the Laguna Clinical Research serving as the President since its inception in April 2018. He has been the physician on record and medical director responsible for conducting studies in addition to overseeing and credentialing physicians. He also has been serving as President and Medical Director for Urgent Care on Del Mar from December 2017 to present; and Principal for his private practice Milton Haber MD from 1987 to present based out of Laredo, Texas. Dr. Haber will continue to enhance clinical trial efficiencies, assist with our franchise training program, and provide ongoing operational support to franchisees.
Veronica is the co-founder of the Laguna Clinical Research™ business model serving as its CEO since our inception in April 2018. She has been responsible for developing all its protocols and administrative procedures, compliance oversight, contracting and onboarding physicians in addition to managing vendor relationships. Veronica will continue to enhance our protocols, lead and provide ongoing operational support to franchisees.
Christina has been serving as our Director of Operations and Franchise Coordinator since October 2020. She has been responsible for supervising clinic operations, assisting with onboarding physicians, enhancing administrative efficiencies, and managing our community outreach programs. Previously from September 2020 to April 2021, she was a Clinical Service Administrative Assistant for Gateway Community Center based out of Laredo, Texas. Christina will continue to develop our operational processes and community outreach programs, assist with our franchisee training program, and provide ongoing operational and administrative support to franchisees.
Ronald Meza, MSN, AGACNP-BC has over 21 years of nursing experience and has been in the healthcare industry for 28 yrs. He obtained his master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso and was credentialed through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (AANC) Board. He has been practicing as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse for 4 yrs. Ron’s areas of experience include critical care, internal medicine, pulmonology, and oncology. Ron has been serving as a Sub-Investigator at Laguna Clinical Research since 2019. He leads the Laguna Research team with his critical care expertise.
Marco Vela attended Texas A&M International University to obtain his Registered Nurse license and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi to obtain his Family Nurse Partitioner license. His commitment to quality and preventative care has over 10 years of ER and critical care experience, and more than 25 years as an RN. Marco’s areas of experience include critical care, internal medicine, advanced cardiovascular life support, and therapy. He has been a Sub-Investigator at Laguna Clinical Research since 2019. He enjoys educating the public on the benefits of clinical research.
Investigator at Laguna Clinical Research since 2019. He enjoys educating the public on the benefits of clinical research.
Steve Zurita brings to Urgent Care on Del Mar over 20 years of nursing experience and over 10 years of that as a Nurse Practitioner in Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine. As a lifelong resident of Laredo, he attended Laredo public schools and then went on to finish his studies in nursing at Texas A&M International University. Steve has been a part of the Laguna Research Team since 2019 and looks forward to participating in more studies.
Eagle Pass Site, Eagle Pass, TX
Elizabeth attended Walden University, where she obtained her master’s degree in Nursing. She has four credentials through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (AANC) Board. Elizabeth’s career in medicine has spanned over 14 years of critical care experience in diagnosing and treats acute and chronic conditions. She has experience in working in at a detention center to perform routine medical examinations on inmates or detainees under established guidelines. In addition, Elizabeth provides various healthcare services, such as conducting comprehensive health plans and prognoses based on the patient’s health conditions. She has been part of the Laguna Research Team since 2021.
Dr. Jorge Barboza-Sosa is Internal Medicine physician. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1997 and received his medical degree from the same location in 1994. He has over 20 years of experience in Eagle Pass, Texas. He has provided care to patients since 2007 in an outpatient setting at his private practice, as well as to inpatients at Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Hospital. His services include preventive care, medical check-ups, immunizations, medical treatment for disease like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Cesar is an attentive medical assistant and office manager with 1+ years of experience in performing administrative and clinical tasks. He joined the Laguna Research team in the summer of 2020. He began working
Doctors Hospital Professional Building Site, Laredo, TX
Dr. Maria Monette S. Regalado brings years of experience to Laguna Research and has participated in studies since 2019. She is a nephrologist, and she is board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Regalado is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Doctors Hospital of Laredo and Laredo Medical Center. She is currently Medical Director for US Renal Care Las Canteras and Doctor’s Hospital of Laredo Dialysis Department. She received her medical degree from University of Santo Tomas and is well established in the medical field with more than 30 years of experience. Dr. Regalado diagnoses, treats, and manages diseases and complications affecting the kidneys such as kidney stones, chronic kidney disease, renal failure, chronic urinary tract infections, and other disorders that affect the kidneys.
Dr. Carlos Espinosa is a nephrologist, and is board certified in Internal Medicine. He graduated from Universidad Central Del Caribe School of Medicine, and practices medicine in accordance with Doctors Hospital of Laredo and Laredo Medical Center. Dr. Espinosa is currently the Chief of Medical Staff at Doctors Hospital of Laredo, and has a career spanning over 30 years in the medical field. He has his own private practice where he treats patients with chronic kidney disease such as renal failure, acute kidney injury, kidney stones or other renal disorders.
Dr. Olayinka Holt is a nephrologist in Laredo, TX and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Laredo Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Laredo. She received her medical degree from St Luke’s University School of Medicine Belize, and her internal medicine residency and Nephrology Fellowship from Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Holt’s medical practice has traversed for over 21 years. Dr. Holt is board certified in Internal Medicine where she has experience in treatment in metabolic syndrome, acute renal failure, chronic renal failure, diabetes mellitus, end stage renal disease, peritoneal dialysis, and hypertensive emergency.
Dr. Jose L. Berlioz is a neonatologist in Laredo, Texas and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the area, including Doctors Hospital of Laredo and Laredo Medical Center. He received his medical degree from National University of Honduras and he is board certified in Pediatrics. He has been practicing medicine for more than 35 years. From 1998 to 2002, he was a Medical Director for the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Doctors Hospital of Laredo. Dr. Berlioz diagnoses and treats newborns with conditions such as breathing disorders, infections, and coordinates care and manages newborns born prematurely.
