Clinical Research at Hope Health Systems
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At Hope Health Systems (HHS), clinical research is a natural extension of our long-standing mission to deliver high-quality, evidence-based behavioral and medical care. For over 27 years, HHS has served individuals and families across Maryland, providing more than 4,000 services annually across outpatient mental health, psychiatry, and integrated medical programs.
Our commitment to clinical research reflects our belief that advancing knowledge, improving outcomes, and expanding access to innovative treatments are essential to addressing complex mental health and medical conditions.
A Research Ready Environment
Hope Health Systems offers sponsors a real-world clinical setting with established workflows, experienced investigators, and access to a large, diverse patient population that is often underrepresented in clinical research.
Our infrastructure supports:
- Clinical research supporting a broad range of study phases and methodologies
- Observational and outcomes-based research
- Longitudinal follow-up in outpatient settings
- Multisystem and comorbidity-inclusive study designs
Patients receiving care at HHS benefit from coordinated services, continuity of care, and clinicians experienced in managing both psychiatric and medical complexity, making our site well suited for pragmatic and translational research.
Experienced Principal Investigators
Internal Medicine & Multisystem Research
Dr. Matthew Adasofunjo, MD
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Physician
Principal Investigator
Board-Certified Internal Medicine Physician
Principal Investigator
Dr. Adasofunjo is an experienced Physician Investigator with extensive involvement in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials across a wide range of internal medicine and multisystem indications, including cardiometabolic disease, pulmonary conditions, renal disease, infectious disease, vaccines, dermatology, and Alzheimer’s-related agitation.
His background in academic medicine, hospital-based care, and clinical research allows HHS to support studies requiring:
- Management of medical comorbidities
- Long-term safety and outcomes monitoring
- Diverse adult and older adult populations
Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Research
Dr. Ade Adelakun, MD, MPH
Board-Certified Adult & Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist
Medical Director & Principal Investigator
Board-Certified Adult & Child/Adolescent Psychiatrist
Medical Director & Principal Investigator
Dr. Adelakun brings deep experience in psychiatry and behavioral health clinical trials, with prior involvement in studies focused on major depressive disorder and psychopharmacologic interventions. His clinical leadership spans outpatient psychiatry, child and adolescent services, and complex behavioral health populations.
HHS is well positioned to support trials in:
- Mood disorders
- Behavioral health and addiction-related conditions
- Adjunctive psychiatric treatments
- Real-world outpatient psychiatric populations
Commitment to Quality and Scientific Rigor
Hope Health Systems approaches clinical research with the same rigor applied to clinical care. Our organization is Joint Commission and CARF accredited, reflecting a strong culture of compliance, quality assurance, and patient safety.
We are committed to:
- Ethical research conduct
- Accurate and timely data collection
- Participant safety and engagement
- Collaborative relationships with sponsors and CROs
Our team understands the importance of both quantitative outcomes and qualitative patient-centered insights, particularly in mental health research where functional improvement and quality of life are critical endpoints.
Advancing Mental Health and Medical Innovation
Mental health and chronic medical conditions continue to pose significant public health challenges. Hope Health Systems is dedicated to being part of the solution by partnering in research that:
- Expands access to innovative therapies
- Improves real-world treatment effectiveness
- Addresses gaps in care for diverse and underserved populations
Through clinical research, HHS seeks not only to contribute data, but to help shape better standards of care for the communities we serve.
Areas of Research at Hope Health Systems
At Hope Health Systems (HHS), clinical research is an extension of our mission to improve health outcomes through evidence-based care, innovation, and community engagement. Our research areas reflect the diverse needs of the patients we serve, integrating mental health, behavioral health, and general medical conditions in ways that mirror real-world clinical practice.
Behavioral Health & Psychiatry
Focus: Advancing treatments for mood disorders, anxiety, substance use, and co-occurring behavioral conditions.
Hope Health Systems conducts research aimed at understanding and improving the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of psychiatric and behavioral health conditions. Our studies explore both established and emerging therapeutic strategies in outpatient populations, with an emphasis on patient-centered outcomes that enhance functioning and quality of life.
Key areas include:
- Major Depressive Disorder outcomes and treatment response
- Anxiety spectrum disorders and adaptive interventions
- Substance use and addiction medicine research, including pharmacologic and psychosocial approaches
- Real-world effectiveness studies in outpatient psychiatry
These efforts are informed by the clinical expertise of our investigators and clinicians who routinely manage complex behavioral health presentations.
Integrated Care & Comorbidity Research
Focus: Investigating the intersection of mental health and medical conditions.
Increasingly, research shows that mental health and physical health are deeply connected. HHS advances research that reflects this intersection, investigating how psychiatric symptoms interact with chronic medical conditions, and how integrated care models can improve overall outcomes.
Areas of inquiry include:
- Depression and chronic disease management
- Behavioral interventions to support medical adherence
- Outcomes for patients with co-occurring psychiatric and physical conditions
This research supports our overarching commitment to whole-person care, recognizing that addressing mental and medical health together leads to better recovery trajectories.
Internal Medicine & Multisystem Clinical Research
Focus: Practical, outcomes-driven research in general medicine and multisystem disease.
Our internal medicine research portfolio encompasses a broad range of conditions that impact adult populations. Under the direction of experienced clinician-investigators, HHS engages in studies that evaluate safety, effectiveness, and patient-experience outcomes in medical therapies and interventions.
Active and potential research domains include:
- Cardiometabolic disorders (e.g., diabetes, hypertension)
- Pulmonary and respiratory conditions
- Infectious disease prevention and vaccine studies
- Observational registries and real-world evidence generation
These studies are designed to complement routine clinical care and contribute insights that can inform better practice patterns.
Health Services Research & Real-World Evidence
Focus: Understanding how care delivery models impact outcomes in diverse patient populations.
HHS is committed to research that evaluates not just therapies, but how care is delivered. Health services research at HHS seeks to identify strategies that improve access, reduce disparities, and optimize service utilization.
Key research topics:
- Treatment adherence and service engagement
- Access to care for underrepresented communities
- Quality improvement initiatives rooted in patient experience
This work supports our goal of generating evidence that informs both clinical practice and health system design.
Patient-Reported Outcomes & Functional Health Research
Focus: Measuring what matters most to patients.
HHS prioritizes research that integrates patient voices into clinical outcomes. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) provide crucial insights into symptoms, functioning, and quality of life, particularly in behavioral health and chronic medical conditions.
Our research in this area includes:
- Use of validated PRO instruments in clinical trials
- Functional outcome tracking in long-term follow-up studies
- Integration of qualitative data to support quantitative findings
By valuing both subjective experience and clinical metrics, we ensure that research reflects the realities of our patient population.
Why Choose Hope Health Systems for Research
Hope Health Systems brings together clinical expertise, a diverse patient population, and a coordinated care environment that is well suited to a broad range of clinical research initiatives. Our investigators have experience in Phase II and Phase III clinical trials, real-world evidence studies, and longitudinal outcome research.
We are uniquely positioned to support studies that:
- Reflect complex real-world care
- Engage underrepresented communities
- Address both mental and physical health needs
- Generate actionable clinical and health system insights
