Education and Training

Radiation Therapy Residency

Medical Students

Medical Physics Residency

  • VR Usage in Non-Invasive Surgical Sub-Specialty Procedures

    Preprocedural, preoperative, and prevascular access anxiety in pediatric patients has been previously shown to increase the likelihood of family stressors, agitation, sleep disturbances, and negative behavioral changes. The purpose of this study is to determine if a non-invasive distracting device (Virtual Reality (VR) headset, Augmented Reality (AR) headset, or bed mounted Video Projection unit (i.e. BERT, Bedside EnterRtainment Theater)) is more effective than the standard of care (i.e., no technology based distraction) for preventing anxiety before non-invasive surgical sub-specialty procedures among children during out-patient clinic visits. Examples of the most common procedures include, but are not limited to gastrostomy tube exchanges, suture removals, dressing changes, foley insertions, EEG set up, chest tube removals, cast removals, pin removals and other similar procedures. (The investigators refer to these procedures under an umbrella term of non-invasive surgical subspecialty procedures). The anticipated primary outcome will be reduction of child's anxiety during and after procedures.

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  • Study of Oral Idebenone to Treat Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis

    This is a randomized, placebo-controlled phase 1/2a study to investigate the safety and tolerability of Idebenone in patients 18 years of age or older with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, with stage 1-3 fibrosis. As secondary end point target engagement and fibrosis improvement will be assessed.

    Investigator

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  • The Anchor Study: Digitally Delivered Intervention for Reducing Problematic Substance Use

    This study aims to validate W-SUDs as a digitally-delivered substance use disorder program through a fully-powered randomized control trial that will test the comparative efficacy of the mobile-app based substance use disorder program (W-SUDs) to reduce substance use relative to a psychoeducation control condition, which has no cognitive behavioral therapy and the content is not delivered through a conversational user interface.

    Investigator

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  • Radiation Therapy (WBI Versus PBI) in Treating Women Who Have Undergone Surgery For Ductal Carcinoma In Situ or Stage I or Stage II Breast Cancer

    RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Giving radiation therapy in different ways may kill any tumor cells that remain after surgery. It is not yet known whether whole breast radiation therapy is more effective than partial breast radiation therapy in treating breast cancer.

    PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying whole breast radiation therapy to see how well it works compared to partial breast radiation therapy in treating women who have undergone surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ or stage I or stage II breast cancer.

    Investigators

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  • Vitamin D3 With Chemotherapy and Bevacizumab in Treating Patients With Advanced or Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

    This phase III trial studies how well vitamin D3 given with standard chemotherapy and bevacizumab works in treating patients with colorectal cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Vitamin D3 helps the body use calcium and phosphorus to make strong bones and teeth. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as leucovorin calcium, fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan hydrochloride, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as bevacizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving vitamin D3 with chemotherapy and bevacizumab may work better in shrinking or stabilizing colorectal cancer. It is not yet known whether giving high-dose vitamin D3 in addition to chemotherapy and bevacizumab would extend patients' time without disease compared to the usual approach (chemotherapy and bevacizumab).

    Investigator

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  • Risk-Group Classification of Patients With Newly Diagnosed Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

    This clinical trial is studying risk-group classification of patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Developing a risk-group classification guide may help doctors assign patients with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia to treatment clinical trials.

    Investigator

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  • Radiation Therapy With Durvalumab or Cetuximab in Treating Patients With Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer Who Cannot Take Cisplatin

    This phase II/III trial studies how well radiation therapy works with durvalumab or cetuximab in treating patients with head and neck cancer that has spread to a local and/or regional area of the body who cannot take cisplatin. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. It is not known if radiation therapy with durvalumab will work better than the usual therapy of radiation therapy with cetuximab in treating patients with head and neck cancer.

    Investigator

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  • TACTIVE-U: A Study to Learn About the Study Medicine (Vepdegestrant) When Given With Other Medicines in People With Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer (Sub-Study A)

    The purpose of this clinical trial is to learn about the safety and effects of the study medicine (called ARV-471) when given together with other medicines for the potential treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

    This study is seeking participants who have breast cancer that:

    - is advanced, may have spread to other organs (metastatic) and cannot be fully treated by surgery or radiation therapy

    - is sensitive to hormonal therapy (it is called estrogen receptor positive); and

    - is no longer responding to previous treatments This study is divided into separate sub-studies.

    For Sub-Study A:

    All participants will receive ARV-471 and a medicine called abemaciclib. ARV-471 will be given by mouth, at home, 1 time a day. Abemaciclib will be given by mouth, at home, 2 times a day. We will examine the experiences of people receiving the study medicines. This will help us determine if the study medicines are safe and effective.

    Participants will continue to take ARV-471 and abemaciclib until their cancer is no longer responding, or side effects become too severe. They will have visits at the study clinic about every 4 weeks.

    Investigator

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  • Sleep Disturbance and Emotion Regulation Brain Dysfunction as Mechanisms of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer's Dementia

    Recent findings suggest that sleep disruption may contribute to the generation and maintenance of neuropsychiatric symptoms including anxiety, depression, agitation, irritation, and apathy while treating sleep disruption reduces these symptoms. Impairments in the neural systems that support emotion regulation may represent one causal mechanism mediating the relationship between sleep and emotional distress. However, this model has not yet been formally tested within a sample of individuals with or at risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease (AD)

    This proposal aims to test a mechanistic model in which sleep disturbance contributes to neuropsychiatric symptoms through impairments in fronto-limbic emotion regulation function in a sample of individuals at risk for developing, or at an early stage of AD.

    This study seeks to delineate the causal association between sleep disruption, fronto-limbic emotion regulation brain function, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. These aims will be achieved through a mechanistic, randomized 2-arm controlled trial design. 150 adults experiencing sleep disturbances and who also have cognitive impairment with the presence of at least mild neuropsychiatric symptoms will be randomized to receive either a sleep manipulation (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia CBT-I; n=75) or an active control (n=75). CBT-I improves sleep patterns through a combination of sleep restriction, stimulus control, mindfulness training, cognitive therapy targeting dysfunctional beliefs about sleep, and sleep hygiene education. Neuropsychiatric symptoms, fronto-limbic functioning, and sleep disruption will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the sleep manipulation through functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), clinical interviews, PSG recordings, and self-report questionnaires. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (anxiety and depression) and sleep disturbance (actigraphy, Insomnia Severity Index, and sleep diaries) will be assayed at baseline and each week throughout the sleep manipulation to assess week-to-week changes following an increasing number of CBT-I sessions. Wristwatch actigraphy will be acquired from baseline to the end of the sleep manipulation at week 11. Neuropsychiatric symptoms and sleep will be assessed again at six months post-manipulation.

    Investigator

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  • Recombinant Interleukin-15 in Treating Patients With Advanced Melanoma, Kidney Cancer, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, or Squamous Cell Head and Neck Cancer

    This phase I trial studies the side effects and best dose of recombinant interleukin-15 in treating patients with melanoma, kidney cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, or head and neck cancer that has spread to other places in the body and usually cannot be cured or controlled with treatment. Recombinant interleukin-(IL)15 is a biological product, a protein, made naturally in the body and when made in the laboratory may help stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing.

    Investigator

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  • Wavefront-guided vs. Topography-guided LASIK

    The study is comparing outcomes of wavefront-guided LASIK to topography-guided LASIK in a randomized contralateral fellow eye study in myopic participants.

    Investigator

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  • Rituximab for Treatment of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (SSc-PAH)

    Systemic sclerosis-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SSc-PAH) is a serious, life-threatening manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disease of the connective tissue characterized by scarring (fibrosis) and atrophy of the skin, joints and tendons, skeletal muscles, and internal organs, and immunological disturbances. One-year survival for patients with SSc-PAH ranges from 50-81%. There is currently no cure for SSc-PAH and treatment is limited to vasodilator therapy used in all forms of PAH. In recent studies, immunotherapy was shown to be effective in treating SSc-interstitial lung disease, another serious, life-threatening manifestation of SSc. In addition, there are compelling pre-clinical data and anecdotal clinical reports that suggest modulation of the immune system may be an effective strategy for treating SSc-PAH. To test this approach, this trial will determine if rituximab, an immunotherapy, has a marked beneficial effect on clinical disease progression, with minimal toxicity, in patients with SSc-PAH when compared to placebo.

    Investigators

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  • Treating Stimulant Addiction With Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

    The purpose of this study is to establish a new treatment (repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS)) for Veterans with stimulant use disorder (SUD). Despite the large public health burden imposed by SUD, there is currently no FDA-approved or widely recognized effective somatic treatment. rTMS may be a promising treatment option for SUD. In this study, we will demonstrate the feasibility of applying rTMS to Veterans with SUD, examine the efficacy of rTMS in the treatment of SUD, and explore biomarkers that may guide patient selection for rTMS treatment and predict treatment response.

    Investigator

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  • Radiation Therapy in Preventing Central Nervous System (CNS) Metastases in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to damage tumor cells. It is not yet known if giving radiation therapy to the head is effective in preventing CNS metastases in patients who have stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

    PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying how well radiation therapy to the head works in preventing CNS metastases in patients who have been previously treated for stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

    Investigators

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  • Tagraxofusp (SL-401) in Patients With CMML or MF

    This multi-center, multi-arm trial is evaluating the safety and efficacy of tagraxofusp, a CD123-targeted therapy, in patients with either chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) or myelofibrosis (MF). There are two CMML cohorts, one enrolling patients with CMML (CMML-1 or CMML-2) who are refractory/resistant or intolerant to hypomethylating agents (HMA), hydroxyurea (HU), or intensive chemotherapy; and one enrolling treatment-naive patients with CMML (CMML-1 or CMML-2) with molecular features associated with poor prognosis. The MF cohort will enroll patients who are resistant/refractory or intolerant to approved JAK therapy (JAK1/JAK2 or JAK2).

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  • Ruxolitinib Phosphate in Treating Patients With Chronic Neutrophilic Leukemia or Atypical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

    This phase II trial studies how well ruxolitinib phosphate works in treating patients with chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) or atypical chronic myeloid leukemia (aCML). Ruxolitinib phosphate may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cells to reproduce. This trial also studies the genetic makeup of patients. Certain genes in cancer cells may determine how the cancer grows or spreads and how it may respond to different drugs. Studying how the genes associated with CNL and aCML respond to the study drug may help doctors learn more about CNL and aCML and improve the treatment for these diseases.

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  • Radiation Therapy, Paclitaxel, and Carboplatin With or Without Trastuzumab in Treating Patients With Esophageal Cancer

    This randomized phase III trial studies how well radiation therapy, paclitaxel, and carboplatin with or without trastuzumab work in treating patients with esophageal cancer. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel and carboplatin, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Monoclonal antibodies, such as trastuzumab, may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. It is not yet known whether giving radiation therapy and combination chemotherapy together with or without trastuzumab is more effective in treating esophageal cancer.

    Investigators

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  • TAK-788 as First-Line Treatment Versus Platinum-Based Chemotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) With EGFR Exon 20 Insertion Mutations

    The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of TAK-788 as first-line treatment with that of platinum-based chemotherapy in participants with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors has epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 insertion mutations.

    Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups- TAK-788 group or Platinum-based chemotherapy group.

    Participants will receive TAK-788 orally and pemetrexed/cisplatin or pemetrexed/carboplatin via vein until the participants experience worsening disease (PD) as assessed by blinded independent review committee (IRC), intolerable harmful effects or another discontinuation criteria.

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  • Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Stribild Versus Atripla in Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Type 1 (HIV-1) Infected, Antiretroviral Treatment-Naive Adults

    To evaluate the safety and efficacy of Stribild®, a single tablet regimen (STR) containing fixed doses of elvitegravir (EVG)/cobicistat (COBI [GS-9350])/emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) versus efavirenz (EFV)/FTC/TDF (Atripla®) in HIV-1 infected, antiretroviral treatment-naive adults. Stribild offers an alternative STR for patients who are not candidates for non-nucleoside reverse transcriptor-based STRs.

    Investigators

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  • Viral & Host Factors Associated With Hepatitis B Virus-related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

    Adult liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The major risk factor for liver cancer is hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The purpose of the study is to sequence the HBV genome in patients with chronic HBV infection, and in patients with liver cancer resulting from chronic HBV infection. The goal is to identify mutations in the HBV genome that predisposes these high risk individuals to the development of liver cancer.

    Investigator

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