Medical Director & Principal Investigator

Juan Pablo Frías, M.D., is an internationally recognized endocrinologist and clinical researcher with more than 30 years of experience advancing therapies for diabetes, obesity, and metabolic liver disease. He serves as Medical Director and Principal Investigator of the Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research and Adjunct Clinical Professor of Medicine at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

Dr. Frías earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University and completed fellowship training in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the University of California, San Diego. He has held academic appointments at the University of California, San Diego and the University of Colorado and has served in senior medical leadership roles across biotechnology, medical device, and pharmaceutical organizations.

He has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications, including landmark trials published in New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, and Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. His work has contributed to the development of several transformative metabolic therapies, including GLP-1–based medicines and next-generation treatments for weight management and metabolic liver disease. At Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research, Dr. Frías oversees all clinical research activities and leads with a vision to advance innovative science while delivering compassionate, patient-centered care.

Sub-Investigator

Tricia Leon, MSN, WHNP-BC, is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner with more than 20 years of clinical experience in women’s health and clinical research. As Sub-Investigator at Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research, she supports clinical trials in obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic liver disease, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and women’s health.

Ms. Leon earned her Master of Science in Nursing from California State University, Long Beach, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern California. She is nationally certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is fluent in Spanish.

Her responsibilities include conducting physical examinations, assessing study eligibility, monitoring participant safety, documenting adverse events, and providing patient education throughout the clinical trial process. She is known for building strong patient relationships and delivering thoughtful, culturally responsive care.

Sub-Investigator

John Nelson, PA-C, is a nationally certified Physician Assistant with more than 25 years of clinical experience and extensive involvement in industry-sponsored research. At Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research, he serves as Sub-Investigator on clinical trials in obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic liver disease, dyslipidemia, and hypertension.

Mr. Nelson earned his Physician Assistant certification from the University of Southern California School of Medicine and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of California, Davis. He is nationally certified and licensed in California.

He plays a key role in subject screening, eligibility assessment, safety monitoring, investigational product oversight, and adverse event management. His broad clinical background supports the Institute’s commitment to protocol integrity and high-quality research execution.

Executive Director of Operations

Bindu Paul, MBA, serves as Executive Director of Operations at Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research, where he oversees operational strategy, financial performance, regulatory compliance, and organizational growth.

Mr. Paul holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance from Arkansas State University and a Bachelor of Science in Integrative Biology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He brings nearly a decade of healthcare operations leadership experience across multi-site clinical environments.

Throughout his career, he has directed interdisciplinary teams, managed multimillion-dollar budgets, and led regulatory audit readiness initiatives, quality improvement programs, and performance-driven operational systems. At Los Angeles Institute for Metabolic Research, he focuses on building scalable infrastructure and strengthening quality systems to support sustainable growth in metabolic clinical research.