DaVita Clinical Research, a provider of clinical research services focused on kidney research, announced an agreement to enter the St. Anthony Hospital campus in Lakewood, Colo. The 80-bed facility will be operational in early 2012 and is expected to create more than 50 specialized research jobs.

“We are excited about our partnership with a hospital that has such a strong reputation with health care professionals and patients throughout Colorado,” said Kent Thiry, DaVita chairman and CEO. “We will continue our focus on high quality research that serves the community, health care and research industries.”

The hospital-based site increases DCR’s physical capacity from 42 to 122 beds in North America. The facility will support high-risk studies and an expanded ability to support normal, healthy volunteer phase I clinical studies.