Denali Health Plant City
Central Florida’s basecamp for clinical research.
Denali Health is bringing tomorrow’s treatments to Central Florida today.
About Denali Health Plant City
Denali Health Plant City is a clinical research site that focuses on bringing clinical research as a care option to the greater Central Florida area. We are focused on cultivating deep local relationships and serving as the ultimate “basecamp” for clinical research in Central Florida.
Meet Our Investigators
Luis R. Aponte, M.D.
Dr. Luis R. Aponte is a Principal Investigator at Denali Health Plant City with more than a decade of Phase II–IV clinical trial experience and a strong regulatory affairs background. He brings a rare PI profile combining clinical expertise, a Master’s in Regulatory Science from Johns Hopkins University, and hands-on experience in pharmacovigilance, GCP/GDP compliance, IRB and ethics oversight, adverse-event reporting, and protocol execution.
Specialties:
Dermatology · Psoriasis · Wound Care ·Psoriatic Arthritis · Obesity & Metabolic Disease · Respiratory · CNS · Vaccines ·
Richard B. Powell, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Richard B. Powell is a Principal Investigator at Denali Health Plant City with extensive experience leading Phase II–IV clinical trials across CNS, vaccines, cardiometabolic disease, respiratory conditions, liver disease, pain, and general medicine.
Specialties:
Internal Medicine · Alzheimer’s Disease & Cognitive Disorders · Vaccine Trials · Cardiometabolic Disease · Diabetes · NASH/Liver Disease · Migraine · Asthma/COPD · General Medicine Clinical Trials
Omar Aref, M.D.
Dr. Omar Aref is a Principal Investigator and Sub-Investigator at Denali Health Plant City, supporting industry-sponsored trials in neurology, vaccines, and dermatology. A family medicine physician in Plant City since 2007, he brings nearly two decades of trusted community-based care and deep patient relationships to Denali’s clinical research programs.
Specialties:
Family & Primary Care Medicine · Chronic Disease Management · Diabetes, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Care · Vaccines · Dermatology · Pediatric, Adult & Geriatric Care · Preventive Medicine
Walid T. Aziz, M.D.
Dr. Walid T. Aziz is a double board-certified psychiatrist and addiction psychiatrist serving as Psychiatric Principal Investigator at Denali Health Plant City. He provides specialized psychiatric ratings and safety oversight for clinical research studies, with a focus on protocol compliance, participant safety, and high-quality data.
Specialties:
Addiction Psychiatry · Substance Use & Co-Occurring Disorders · Treatment-Resistant Depression · Schizophrenia Spectrum & Schizoaffective Disorders · Bipolar Disorder · Acute & Crisis Psychiatry · Child & Adolescent Inpatient Care · Ketamine-Assisted Treatment
Areas of
Excellence
Neurology & Psychiatry
Adult and pediatric CNS trials including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's disease.
Cardiovascular
Lipid disorders, hypertension, heart failure, Lp(a) reduction therapies, and cardiometabolic disease interventions.
Metabolic & Endocrine
Type 2 diabetes, obesity, NASH/MASH, thyroid disorders, and emerging GLP-1 agonist therapies.
Wound Care
Diabetic foot ulcers, venous leg ulcers, pressure injuries, and advanced wound healing technologies.
Vaccine
Vaccine trials across all phases, respiratory illness, and emerging infectious disease studies.
Internal Medicine
Gastroenterology, rheumatology, dermatology, and multi-system disorders requiring comprehensive patient management.
Capabilities
Inpatient Research Unit
Full inpatient capacity with continuous medical coverage, private monitoring suites, and dedicated investigational product (IP) management suites.
On-Site Bioanalytical Processing Lab
CLIA-waived laboratory with high-capacity ambient and refrigerated centrifugation, same-day specimen processing, and integrated overnight courier logistics for time-sensitive sample shipping.
Source-Document Integrity & 21 CFR Part 11 Infrastructure
Restricted-access archival storage meeting ICH-GCP retention requirements, controlled-access IP suites, and secure private monitoring rooms with dedicated high-speed fiber for sponsor and CRA visits.
Pharmacy & Cold Chain
24/7 climate-monitored IP storage, –20°C and –80°C ultra-low temperature freezers, and pharmaceutical-grade vaccine refrigeration and backup power.
Equipped Emergency Response
Onsite crash carts, trained staff, written emergency response protocols, and calibrated diagnostic instrumentation.
Physician Partnerships with Denali
Only 3% of physicians are involved in clinical trials. If you have ever considered becoming a Principal Investigator/Sub-Investigator or are interested in offering clinical trials as a care option to your patients, the Denali Partnership Team would love to connect with you.
No prior experience required.
Denali Clinical Trial Partnership Benefits
Advance the frontiers of medicine and research.
World-class operations, regulatory, compliance, and clinical services infrastructure to make being an investigator as smooth as possible.
Attract potential new patients to your clinical practice.
Build your professional presence locally and nationally.
Serve as a conduit for your local community to access otherwise unavailable potential treatments.
Unlock an additional income stream as PI/Sub-I
Have the potential to become a key opinion leader.
Patient Journey
If you see an active trial that you are interested in:
See if You Qualify
Fill out the eligibility form or call us directly at 813-796-6716 to see if you qualify for the clinical trial. Denali provides its patients free transportation.
Initial Clinic Visit
At your visit, you will have an opportunity to speak to the clinical team who will go over the study details and conduct a formal screening visit.
Follow Up
Once enrolled, you will continue to receive care at our clinic at no cost in accordance with clinical trial protocol.
If you do not see an active trial you are interested in:
Healix by Denali Registry
Take the Next Step:
Join the Healix
by Denali Registry
The Healix by Denali Health Patient Registry is a simple, low-commitment way to stay connected to future research that matches your specific health profile.
By joining the registry, you will:
Stay Informed
Receive updates directly from our clinical research team about new studies that match your conditions.
Keep Your Options Open
Maintain a path to accessing cutting-edge investigational therapies down the line.
Contribute to Medicine
Help Denali Health better understand the patient community, which is essential for accelerating new treatments.
Join the Healix Registry today and keep your health journey moving forward.
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Atlanta's basecamp for clinical research.
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