Education and Training

Radiation Therapy Residency

Medical Students

Medical Physics Residency

  • Safety and Efficacy Study of Stem Cell Transplantation to Treat Dilated Cardiomyopathy

    Several studies have documented that transplantation of bone marrow-derived cells (BMC) following acute myocardial infarction is associated with a reduction in infarct scar size and improvements in left ventricular function and perfusion. The available evidence in humans suggests that BMC transplantation is associated with improvements in physiologic and anatomic parameters in both acute myocardial infarction and chronic ischemic heart disease, above and beyond the conventional therapy. In particular, intracoronary application of BMC is proved to be safe and was associated with significant improvement in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in patients with chronic heart failure.

    In contrast to ischemic heart failure, the data on effects of BMC transplantation in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy are limited to pre-clinical studies. In a rat model of dilated cardiomyopathy, intramyocardial delivery of pluripotent mesenchymal cells improved LVEF, possibly through induction of myogenesis and angiogenesis, as well as by inhibition of myocardial fibrosis, suggesting that the beneficial effects of stem cell transplantation in dilated cardiomyopathy may primarily be related to their ability to supply large amounts of angiogenic, antiapoptotic, and mitogenic factors. Similarly, transplantation of cocultured mesenchymal stem cells and skeletal myoblasts was shown to improve LVEF in a murine model of Chagas disease.

    Study Aim:

    To define the clinical effects of BMC transplantation in dilated cardiomyopathy in a pilot clinical study investigating the effects of intracoronary CD34+ cell transplantation on functional, structural, neurohormonal, and electrophysiologic parameters in patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy.

    Investigator

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  • Peanut Reactivity Reduced by Oral Tolerance in an Anti-IgE Clinical Trial

    The investigators will perform a double blind, placebo controlled clinical trial with Xolair (omalizumab) at four centers to safely and rapidly desensitize patients with severe peanut allergy. The investigators will determine if pretreatment with anti-IgE mAb (Xolair/omalizumab) can greatly reduce allergic reactions and allow for faster and safer desensitization.

    Not accepting patients at this time View Details

  • NBS10 (Also Known as AMR-001) Versus Placebo Post ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

    This study will assess the safety and efficacy of intracoronary artery administered autologous bone marrow derived stem cells in subjects post ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This will be assessed by evaluating and comparing the autologous stem cell treatment group to the control group in terms of the occurrence of AE's, SAE's and Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE), by the change in myocardial perfusion (RTSS) measured quantitatively by gated single photon emission computed tomography myocardial perfusion imaging (gated SPECT MPI), and other secondary endpoints such as LVEF measured by cardiac MRI in addition to other endpoints.

    Investigator

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  • PAtient-centered mUltidiSciplinary Care for vEterans Undergoing Surgery (PAUSE)

    The PAUSE Trial is a pragmatic, randomized clinical trial for Veterans scheduled for elective surgery at 3 large VA facilities (Palo Alto, Houston, and Nashville). The PAUSE Trial focuses on cooperation between providers of various disciplines in order to provide better care. Veterans identified as frail upon standardized will be referred to a multidisciplinary "PAUSE Board" comprised of members from surgery, anesthesia, geriatrics, palliative care, case management, rehabilitation, and nutrition. Diverse specialists will come together in a team environment to discuss care options, scientific evidence, and patient goals and expectations, creating individual patient recommendations. The investigators hypothesize that the PAUSE Board model will improve quality and outcomes by promoting guidelines and evidence-based care recommendations as well as constructive team-based discussions to align care with patient goals and expectations.

    Investigator

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  • Outpatient Pump Shutoff Pilot Feasibility and Efficacy Study

    The purpose of this study is to see whether low blood sugar at night can be reduced by using a system that turns off the insulin pump automatically. The study system includes a combination continuous glucose monitor (CGM)/ insulin pump made by Medtronic MiniMed, Inc and a regular laptop computer that runs a computer program that predicts low blood sugar. It works by (1) measuring the glucose levels under the skin with a continuous glucose monitor, (2) using a computer program on a laptop to predict what will happen to the glucose level over the next 35-55 minutes, and (3) turning off the insulin pump when the computer program predicts that low blood sugar will occur.

    This study has several phases and will take about 3 months for a patient to complete. Patients will use the Medtronic CGM with the Enlite sensor at home for 10-15 days to be sure that they are able and willing to use this system and to determine if they meet the investigators study criteria to proceed with the next phase of the study. Patients will be provided teaching on how to use CGM data in real time. If a patient is not using a Medtronic CGM already, the patient will first use one at home for 10-15 days to be sure that he/she is able and willing to use it. If a patient is already using a Medtronic CGM, then his/her most recent 10-15 days of data will be used to find out if he/she is eligible. Those who need to complete the CGM run-in phase will have an extra office visit for training.

    If eligible to continue in the study, patients will need to use the study system for 5 nights at home so that the investigators can make sure they are able to use it correctly. After that, patients will be asked to use the study system each night for an additional 6 to 8 weeks. If the system is active and predicts that a patient's blood sugar will become low, the insulin pump will shut off for up to 2 hours.

    The study will include about 45 individuals at 3 clinical centers in the United States and Canada.

    Investigator

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  • Niraparib in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Patients With Triple-negative Breast Cancer or Ovarian Cancer

    This Phase 1/2 study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of combination treatment with niraparib and pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in patients with advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer or recurrent ovarian cancer. (KEYNOTE-162)

    Investigator

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  • Rucaparib in Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

    The purpose of the ATLAS study is to determine how patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic urothelial carcinoma respond to treatment with rucaparib.

    Investigator

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  • Real-time Reminders To Decrease Late or Missed Meal Boluses

    This study is examining whether the Klue app is effective in detecting missed or late meal boluses in patients with Type 1 diabetes. The app is programmed onto an Apple Watch and will detect potential missed boluses from hand motion. It will send text alerts to the user asking if they have bolused. This is a pilot study and will assess whether there is a change in the number of missed meal boluses in the two weeks prior to each visit. If the findings are significant, this software can be integrated in future closed-loop algorithms for automatic insulin delivery.

    Investigator

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  • Neuroimaging Biomarkers for Predicting rTMS Response in OCD

    This study evaluates an accelerated schedule of theta-burst stimulation using a Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) device for treatment-resistant Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). In a randomized fashion, half the participants will receive accelerated theta-burst stimulation at the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), while half will receive accelerated theta-burst stimulation at the right orbitofrontal (rOFC) site.

    Investigators

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  • Pazopanib in Imatinib Refractory or Intolerant Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GIST)

    This study is being done to gather information about the safety (any harmful effects) and effectiveness (usefulness) of Pazopanib in the treatment of Gastrointestinal Stroma Tumors (GIST) that cannot be treated by surgery or has spread to other organs. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved Pazopanib for the treatment of advanced kidney cancer but it is not approved for the treatment of GIST. The investigators hope to learn about the safety and usefulness (effectiveness) of Pazopanib for patients with GIST.

    Primary Objective:

    Non-progression rate based on RECIST criteria (CR+PR+SD)

    Secondary Objectives:

    - Response per Choi criteria

    - 6 month progression-free survival

    - Safety and tolerability

    Investigator

    Not accepting patients at this time View Details

  • Novel Endoluminal Clinical TreAtment of Reflux

    This is a prospective, multi-center, double-blind, crossover, randomized controlled trial designed to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of Aluvra for the treatment of GERD.

    Investigator

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  • Methylphenidate Treatment of Attention Deficits in Epilepsy

    Methylphenidate (MPH) has long been used to improve attention and cognitive difficulties associated with ADHD, including in children with ADHD and epilepsy (Torres et al., 2008). Methylphenidate (MPH) is also helpful in treating attention and other cognitive difficulties in a variety of other neurological and medical conditions (Kajs-Wyllie, 2002; Prommer, 2012). We seek to evaluate the potential efficacy and safety of this medication in treating attention deficits, as well as other cognitive difficulties, experienced by adult patients with epilepsy.

    To our knowledge, there are currently very few studies which explicitly examine the impact of MPH on measureable attention deficits and other cognitive deficits in adult patients with epilepsy. We hope to quantify what impact, if any, methylphenidate has on attention, in addition to other specific measureable cognitive functions, in patients with cognitive complaints and epilepsy, and contribute to a growing body of evidence which supports the safety of methylphenidate's use for attention deficits in patients with epilepsy. As other effective treatments for attention and other cognitive difficulties in patients with epilepsy are not currently available, MPH could represent an important option in the treatment of such patients.

    Investigator

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  • Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry

    The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry will collect data on at least 2,000 patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) at approximately 40 clinical sites in the US. The Registry is targeting enrollment of approximately 60% of the 2,000 ILD participants to have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The aim of the Registry is to create a cohort of well-characterized patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) for participation in retrospective and prospective research

    Investigators

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  • Ph 3 ADI-PEG 20 Versus Placebo in Subjects With Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Who Have Failed Prior Systemic Therapy

    This is a study of ADI-PEG 20 (pegylated arginine deiminase), an arginine degrading enzyme versus placebo in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who have failed prior systemic treatment (chemotherapy). Hepatocellular carcinomas have been found to require arginine, an amino acid. Thus the hypothesis is that by restricting arginine with ADI-PEG 20, the hepatocellular carcinoma cells will starve and die.

    Investigator

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  • Radiation Therapy, Amifostine, and Chemotherapy in Treating Young Patients With Newly Diagnosed Nasopharyngeal Cancer

    This phase III trial is studying how well radiation therapy, amifostine, and chemotherapy work in treating young patients with newly diagnosed nasopharyngeal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs, such as amifostine, may protect normal cells from the side effects of radiation therapy. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as cisplatin and fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Giving radiation therapy together with amifostine and chemotherapy may kill more tumor cells.

    Investigator

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  • Rates of Apnea in Patients Undergoing Vitreoretinal Surgery

    The purpose of this study is to determine if apnea (the stopping of breathing) occurs in patients undergoing undergoing monitored anesthesia care (MAC) for vitreoretinal surgery

    Investigator

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  • Phase I Study of GNKG168 in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

    This is a phase I trial of an investigational drug called GNKG168 in patients with relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) who are in morphologic remission but are positive for Minimum Residual Disease (MRD). GNKG168 is a Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist. TLR agonists are a novel approach to stimulate an effective anti-tumor immune response as they are able to stimulate both innate and adaptive immune responses. There will be two strata i.e patients who have received hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and patients who have never undergone HSCT. GNKG168 will be administered as a 60 min iv infusion. One 14-day cycle consists of 5-day treatment followed by 9 day-rest. Patients will receive 2 cycles before evaluation. The primary objective is to determine the maximum tolerated dose of GNKG168 in relapsed ALL and AML patients.

    Investigator

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  • Natural Versus Programmed Frozen Embryo Transfer (NatPro)

    NatPro is a two-arm, parallel-group, multi-center, randomized trial in which women undergoing frozen embryo transfer (FET) will be randomized to receive either a modified natural cycle (corpus luteum present) or a programmed cycle (corpus luteum absent).

    Investigator

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  • Once-Daily Oral Avatrombopag Tablets Used in Subjects With Chronic Liver Diseases and Thrombocytopenia Prior to Elective Surgical or Diagnostic Procedures

    The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of once-daily Oral avatrombopagin subjects with chronic liver diseases and thrombocytopenia prior to elective surgical or diagnostic procedures, to evaluate the safety of short-term administration of avatrombopag and to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of E5501.

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  • Ontogeny of Measles Immunity in Infants

    This is an immunogenicity study evaluating the development of the immune response of healthy infants following primary vaccination with Attenuvax at 6 or 9 months of age compared with responses in 12 month-old infants receiving MMR-II. Responses of infants receiving an early two dose measles vaccine regimen with the first dose given at 6 or 9 months followed by a second dose administered at 12 months will also be compared to infants given a single dose at 12 months of age (Table 2). The current approved regimen for measles vaccination is a first vaccination at 12-15 months and a subsequent vaccination at school entry.

    A secondary endpoint of this study will be to assess the safety of measles vaccine administered as Attenuvax at 6 or 9 months of age and in an early two dose measles vaccine regimen with Attenuvax administered at 6 or 9 months followed by MMR-II at 12 months of age.

    Investigator

    Not accepting patients at this time View Details