Boston University - Clinical & Translational Science Institute

The treatment of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) in an accessible manner represents an unmet need for those with cardiovascular disease (CVD), given that patients with CVD experience numerous barriers for in-person treatment engagement. The research plan for the proposed pilot project will entail: (1) open study of the acceptability of the digital intervention (N=5), followed by (2) recruitment and randomization of 90 individuals with a history of acute CVD events and clinical levels of GAD symptoms to dCBT or a waitlist (Control) condition, using a 1.5:1 allocation (dCBT:Control).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

This study aims to understand how people use different types of feedback to control their speech. When an individual speaks, the brain relies on several systems at the same time, such as sensory systems that monitor an individuals own voice and the movements of their speech muscles, and a motor system that builds and reads out learned motor patterns. The investigators are studying how these systems work together and how they differ across individuals. Investigators will test 90 adults between 18 and 50 years old, including people who stutter, people with dyslexia, and people with typical speech and reading development. Participants will complete several short speech tasks in which the sounds they hear or the movements of their jaw or larynx are briefly changed. These responses will be used to measure each person's speech motor skills and to estimate the settings of a computer model called "SimpleDIVA," which simulates how the brain controls speech. Participants will also complete an MRI scan so investigators can measure the structure and connectivity of different brain regions. These measures will help investigators understand how individual differences in the brain relate to the speech motor control skills we observe. Participants will also complete sessions with noninvasive brain stimulation (transcranial current stimulation, or tCS) to examine how stimulation of specific areas of the brain affects responses during the speech tasks. The knowledge gained from this study will help researchers understand why speech motor skills vary across people and how differences in neural function may contribute to conditions such as stuttering and dyslexia.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2026

open study

"Gold-standard" medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment combines FDA-approved medications, primarily methadone and buprenorphine, with behavioral therapies to provide "whole-patient" treatment. Prior to the pandemic, methadone and buprenorphine were subject to greater federal regulations than medications for other substance use disorders, including medication for alcohol use disorder (MAUD), which created barriers to MOUD initiation and retention. These barriers were exacerbated by physical distancing and diminished clinic capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent healthcare disruption and expand access to MOUD treatment during the public health emergency, federal and state authorities implemented several MOUD policy changes during the pandemic to reduce barriers to MOUD initiation and retention, which subsequently became permanent. This study is an evaluation of the impacts of these policies on treatment use, retention, and patient outcomes pre- and post-MOUD policy implementation.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2026

open study

This global, open-label, single arm, phase 1b study aims to learn more about whether a treatment called JNJ-90301900 is safe and effective when injected directly into tumors, along with standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy, for participants with head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC; a type of solid tumor that begins in outer tissue layer of the mouth & throat).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2026

open study

Tests whether age-related visual deficits arise from disrupted alpha-gamma coupling in visual cortex (V1) and MT. Uses fMRI, source-resolved HD-EEG, and personalized complex-waveform HD-tACS to (1) quantify aging effects on phase-amplitude coupling, (2) drive PAC into a preferred "gamma-at-alpha-troughs" state, and (3) bidirectionally change perception by aligning gamma to alpha troughs vs peaks. Two five-day, double-blind, sham-controlled studies (n=120 each) target contrast sensitivity (V1) and 3D shape-from-motion (MT), aiming for mechanistic insight and remediation in older adults with implications for ADRD.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2026

open study

BEATRIX (group B strEptococcus mATeRnal and Infant VaX study) The purpose of this study is to learn about the safety and how the group B streptococcus (GBS) vaccine works in pregnant women and their babies. This study is seeking healthy pregnant participants: - aged 49 or younger who can join. - between 24 and 36 weeks of gestation ("Gestational age" is a medical term used to describe how far along your pregnancy is) - had a fetal ultrasound examination performed with no major fetal abnormalities observed - documented negative for HIV, syphilis and Hepatitis B All participants in this study will receive only 1 shot in an arm. This could either be a group B streptococcus 6-valent polysaccharide conjugate vaccine (GBS6) or placebo. Placebo is an inactive substance used in the study for comparison purposes; in this study, the placebo injection will be saline (saltwater). The pregnant participants may take part in this study for a maximum of 14 months (6 months after delivery) , and their babies for about 12 months after they are born. The pregnant participants will need to visit the research site at least 3 to 4 times with some visits permitted to occur over the telephone. A subset of infants will be asked to take part in the study for up to 19 months. The subset will receive diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine and/or pneumococcal vaccine following each country's standard immunization plan and have blood drawn 1 month after completion of the primary and/or toddler (booster) doses.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to understand treatment preference and satisfaction among adults with schizophrenia in the United States who are prescribed xanomeline and trospium chloride (X/T) therapy

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2025

open study

The purpose of this research is to evaluate if early vs rescue Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (PLEX) treatment algorithm leads to better visual outcomes in severe Optic Neuritis and leads to better neurological disability outcomes in severe Transverse Myelitis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2025

open study

Adolescent (ages 10-19) overdose deaths are the third leading cause of pediatric death and continue to rise in the United States. Healthcare providers have regular and trusted relationships with youth and have experience in providing public health injury prevention counseling. Youth have different motivations for using drugs, and many who experience fatal overdose do not have a history of opioid use. Primary care pediatric providers regularly provide developmentally appropriate injury prevention counseling for leading causes of pediatric fatal and nonfatal injury such as drowning prevention and firearms safety. However, there are no recommended, evidence-based overdose prevention interventions for youth, including in health care settings, even though research supports pediatricians and youth-serving clinicians providing harm reduction strategies such as naloxone distribution and overdose education. Among adults, overdose prevention education reduces overdose, is cost-effective, and can be learned by laypersons. Content commonly includes awareness of fentanyl in the drug supply, risk reduction (e.g., not using alone, risks of polysubstance use), and how to recognize and respond to an overdose, including the use of naloxone. This study is a pilot two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a brief overdose prevention education intervention that will be developed in collaboration with the Community Advisory Board (CAB). The primary outcome of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the brief youth overdose prevention intervention as measured by provider feasibility and acceptability as well as youth acceptability.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2025

open study

The ELEVATE III Pivotal Study is a prospective, multi-center, open-label, interventional, randomized, controlled study with an active control group. The study is intended to assess the safety and efficacy of the Elevate™ percutaneous Left Ventricular Assist Device System in patients referred to high-risk percutaneous coronary interventions (HR-PCI).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2025

open study

Less than 20% of people with PTSD receive any treatment. This study extends a program of research by the investigator focused on developing adaptive (stepped) interventions for PTSD. The adaptive intervention sequences a digital mental health intervention (DMHI) and brief trauma- and skills-focused treatments for PTSD. The selected treatments are brief and scalable and less burdensome to systems of care. These treatments are: web-administered Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation (webSTAIR), Brief STAIR, and Written Exposure Therapy (WET).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2026

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a novel psychosocial intervention is effective in helping adults over 50 with serious mental illness (SMI) increase their social connections and participate in more healthy lifestyle activities. The Hopeful and Healthy Living (HHL) intervention combines social skills training and training in cognitive self-management strategies in order to help older adults build healthy lifestyle and social routines. We predict that: - Individuals who participate in the HHL intervention will improve more in perceived social support (i.e., what people get from relationships such as reliance, reassurance of worth, attachment) and loneliness at the 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-up assessments than those who receive treatment as usual (TAU). - Individuals who participate in the HHL intervention will improve more in overall psychosocial functioning at the 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-up assessments than those who receive TAU. - Individuals who participate in the HHL intervention will improve more in cognitive functioning at the 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-up assessments than those who receive TAU. - Individuals who participate in the HHL intervention will improve more in healthy behaviors (sleep, activity, diet) at the 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-up assessments than those who receive TAU. In this trial, participants will be either receive the HHL intervention or participate in their regular treatment activities (treatment as usual). HHL vs. TAU will be compared to see if there are any differences in social support, cognition, loneliness, psychosocial functioning, or healthy lifestyle activities including physical activity, sleep, and diet. Participants will be asked to complete an interview-based assessment at baseline, 4-months, 8-months, and 12-months. After completing the baseline assessment, those who are in the experimental group will participate in the 16-week long HHL group intervention.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

This study aims to check how safe and well-tolerated a second dose of RSVpreF is when given during later pregnancies, and to see how long the immunity lasts from a single dose given during a previous pregnancy by examining the blood of nonpregnant participants who had the vaccine before.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if colchicine reduces levels of proteins indicating inflammation in the blood in individuals with calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease. The trial will also test the effect of colchicine on joint symptoms in CPPD disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: - Does colchicine reduce the level of interleukin 18 (IL-18) in the blood of individuals with CPPD disease? - Does colchicine reduce pain scores in individuals with CPPD disease? Researchers will compare colchicine once daily to a placebo (a look-alike pill that contains no drug) to see if colchicine works to treat CPPD disease. Participants will: - Take colchicine or a placebo every day for 6 months - Visit the clinic 3 times in 6 months for joint examinations, surveys, and blood tests. Each visit will last 2-3 hours. - Speak on the telephone with researchers for about 4 times over 6 months. Each phone call will last about 5 minutes.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2026

open study

This Phase III, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled treat-through study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of induction and maintenance therapy with Afimkibart (also known as RO7790121) in participants with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease (CD).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

This Phase II trial evaluates the optimization of the cytokine release syndrome (CRS) profile for glofitamab in combination with gemcitabine and oxaliplatin (Glofit-GemOx) in participants with relapsed or refractory aggressive B-cell Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The study utilizes an optimized steroid premedication regimen and monitoring schedule specifically designed to enable the administration of the treatment regimen in an outpatient setting.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the behavior analytic intervention in reducing the number of challenging behaviors exhibited by patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while increasing compliance with needle-related simulations and procedures. A second purpose is to assess the social validity of this study as evidenced by patient and/or caregiver acceptability. The study wil take place at Boston Medical Center (BMC). A Single Subject Design (SSD) wil be utilized as it allows for detailed, individualized assessment of how interventions affect behavior over time in this type of behavior analytic research. By focusing on each participant as an individual and having each participant act as their own control, it demonstrates clear cause-and-effect relationships, showing how behavior changes with the introduction or withdrawal of an intervention. This method is flexible, enabling ongoing adjustments to treatments based on real-time data, making it particularly useful in personalized interventions and ensuring effectiveness for patients with unique needs such as those who would be eligible to enroll and participate in this study.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2026

open study

The primary purpose of the study is to assess how well amivantamab in combination with lazertinib or in combination with chemotherapy works (antitumor activity) in participants with epidermal growth factor receptor mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC; that is one of the major types of lung cancer).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2024

open study

The primary goal of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of elacestrant versus standard endocrine therapy in participants with node-positive, Estrogen Receptor-positive (ER+), Human Epidermal Growth Factor-2 negative (HER2-) early breast cancer with high risk of recurrence.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, pH and food effect, and preliminary efficacy of BMS-986470 in healthy volunteers and participants with sickle cell disease.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

This study aims to investigate toripalimab with chemotherapy in participants with nasopharyngeal cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2024

open study

To demonstrate the efficacy and safety of the 8F BASHIR™ .035 Endovascular Catheter and the 8F BASHIR™ S-B .035 Endovascular Catheter for the administration of pharmaco-mechanical catheter directed therapy using pulse sprays of r-tPA into the pulmonary arteries for the treatment of intermediate risk pulmonary embolism (PE).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

The goal of this interventional study is to compare the baseline neural mechanisms and parenting in depressed and non-depressed children and to examine baseline neural mechanisms and parenting as predictors of Family-Focused Treatment for Childhood-Depression (FFT-CD) outcomes. The main questions it aims to answer are: - What are differences between depressed and non-depressed participants on baseline neural and parenting indicators? - Do baseline neural and parenting indicators predict response to FFT-CD? - Does change in parenting and neural functioning mediate change in depression from baseline to follow-up? Participants will: - complete baseline clinical measures - complete neuroimaging tasks via Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMR) - undergo a 12-session course of FFT-CD - complete follow up evaluations and neuroimaging

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2024

open study

The purpose of this study is to assess if adding LY3537982 (olomorasib) in combination with standard of care anti-cancer drugs is more effective than standard of care in participants with untreated advanced NSCLC. NSCLC must have a change in a gene called KRAS G12C. Study participation, including follow-up, could last up to 3 years, depending on how you and your lung cancer are doing.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

Vocal hyperfunction (VH) is the most commonly treated class of voice disorders by speech-language pathologists and voice therapy is the primary curative treatment. Patients and clinicians report that generalizing improved voicing into daily life is the most significant barrier to successful therapy. We will test if extending biofeedback into the patient's daily life using ambulatory voice monitoring will significantly improve generalization during therapy and if individual patient factors, like how easily they can modify their voice and engagement during therapy, moderate the effects of the biofeedback.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study