Geoff Muller

University of Arkansas

Dr. Geoffrey Muller received his medical degree from University of Pretoria Faculty of Medicine and has been in practice for more than 20 years. Before coming to UAMS in 2020, he worked as a Clinical Instructor in Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Gwendolyn Cobbs

University of Arkansas



Gwendolyn Cobbs serves as the RN Clinical Research Coordinator and Team Lead for the THRIVE study at UAMS. As a Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) with a strong nursing background, Gwendolyn ensures the study runs smoothly with the highest standards of clinical excellence, patient safety, and data integrity.

For Gwendolyn, the highlights of the THRIVE study are the patients and the collaboration with the THRIVE DCC team. She has thoroughly enjoyed partnering with them on this study, noting that their support and shared vision make a tremendous difference. She shares a special appreciation for Chelsea, who is absolutely great to work with: “Whenever I call, she always has an answer for me, or she’ll dig in and find it out for me—even if it's an answer I might not always like! That kind of reliability is everything.”

Gwendolyn is also incredibly proud of her research team at UAMS, whose dedication, adaptability, and hard work drive their success every single day. She gives a special shout-out to their Principal Investigator, Dr. Muller. Working alongside Dr. Muller has been fantastic, as he is incredibly engaging and always available whenever the team has questions. Gwendolyn notes that she truly couldn't ask for a better research team.



True to Gwendolyn’s passion for health and wellness, she takes the concept of endurance from the clinic to the mud. Outside of work, she is a fitness enthusiast and an avid Spartan racer. Whether she is navigating complex clinical protocols or conquering obstacle courses, Gwendolyn brings unmatched energy and grit to everything she does!

Alperdis Keyes

University of Arkansas



Al is the Director of Clinical Trials at UAMS within the department of Translational Research Institute. He is involved with the planning, execution and oversight of clinical research studies (with the exception of cancer trials). He provides strategic and operational leadership across trial portfolios, ensuring regulatory compliance, data quality and patient safety. He collaborates with investigators, sponsors, and multidisciplinary teams to support efficient and ethical clinical trial conduct and the advancement of evidence-based therapies.

Dr. Simon Tom is Medical Director of the HCC2 Operating Rooms and Director of Anesthesia Informatics at NYU Langone Health. He sees THRIVE as a model for next-generation prospective clinical research, and has been impressed by how easy it is to plug into its well-designed infrastructure and trial design. He has also found the entire THRIVE team a pleasure to work with. Outside of work, he spends most of his time wrangling his two children, ages 6 and 8.

Lola Franco, CCRC, has been with the THRIVE team since pre-launch at NYULH. She really enjoys the interaction and follow-up with the subjects, maybe because she’s a mother and is used to nagging. When not at work she spends time with her family, walking around NYC, and enjoys knitting and needlepoint.

Avra Hammerschlag is a research coordinator and has been at NYU for 4.5 years. She likes helping people and has an appreciation for THRIVE because it allows her to build relationships with patients. In an alternate universe, she is an apiarist and lives in the countryside.

Ekow Commeh is a research coordinator at NYU and has been part of Team THRIVE since pre-launch. He likes how much he has learned from being on the THRIVE and uses it as a model when initiating new studies. Outside NYU, Ekow enjoys spending time with his family, his wife, and his awesome dog, Ace.