Boston University - Clinical & Translational Science Institute

Exposure-based cognitive behavior therapy is an efficacious treatment for acrophobia (fear of heights) and has been delivered effectively in a virtual reality (VR) environment. The present study is designed to evaluate the effects of liked, non-lyrical background music on the efficacy of a brief VR exposure intervention.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

This phase III trial compares the effect of adding a stem cell transplant with melphalan after completing chemotherapy with daratumumab, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (Dara-VCD) versus chemotherapy with Dara-VCD alone for treating patients with newly diagnosed amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis. Melphalan is a chemotherapy given prior to a stem cell transplant. Giving chemotherapy before a peripheral blood stem cell transplant helps kill cancer cells in the body and helps make room in the patient's bone marrow for new blood-forming cells (stem cells) to grow. The stem cells are then returned to the patients to replace the blood forming cells that were destroyed by the chemotherapy. Daratumumab is in a class of medications called monoclonal antibodies. It binds to a protein called CD38, which is found on some types of immune cells and cancer cells, including myeloma cells. Daratumumab may block CD38 and help the immune system kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cyclophosphamide and bortezomib, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Dexamethasone is in a class of medications called corticosteroids. It is used to lower the body's immune response to help stop the growth of cancer cells. Giving a stem cell transplant with melphalan after Dara-VCD may kill more cancer cells in patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2024

open study

This clinical trial aims to confirm previous findings from a smaller study which demonstrated significant improvements in all symptoms among veterans with Gulf War Illness after one month on the dietary intervention. The main objectives of this study are: 1) to confirm previous findings of treatment response to the diet in a larger and more diverse group; 2) to examine how changes in the nervous system may be the reason for improvement; and 3) to identify markers which change in the blood after one month on the diet. Participants will have baseline measures collected and then will be randomized into the intervention or wait-listed control group, which they will follow for one month before being reassessed.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This collaborative screening protocol, developed by the Lung Cancer Mutation Consortium (LCMC) and supported by the Thoracic Surgery Oncology Group (TSOG), is designed to determine the feasibility of comprehensive molecular profiling to detect actionable oncogenic drivers in patients with suspected early stage lung cancers scheduled to undergo biopsies to establish the diagnosis of lung cancer. The primary purpose of this testing is to determine the presence of 12 oncogenic drivers (mutations in EGFR, BRAFV600E , MET exon 14, KRAS G12C and HER2, rearrangements in ALK, RET, NTRK, EGFR exon 20 insertion and ROS1, and amplification of MET and HER2) that can serve as targets making patients eligible for upcoming targeted neoadjuvant therapy trials. The ultimate goal is to use this information from the screening process to select the optimal neoadjuvant therapy and wherever possible enroll patients onto separate neoadjuvant therapy trials with genomically matched treatments or other appropriate trials if no actionable driver mutation is detected. Thoracic Surgery Oncology Group (TSOG) is a network of surgeons within North American Thoracic Surgery Academic Centers aligned with the goal of enhancing patient care through administration of multi-site trials focused on recent advances in lung cancer. TSOG has aligned with the LCMC4 sites to enroll the LCRF-LEADER screening trial. TSOG's involvement will be essential in trial enrollment and ultimate interpretation of the multimodal clinical and translational data collected as part of this study. We estimate we will detect an actionable oncogenic driver in 33% of cases. The remaining 66% of patients will represent a cohort identified by their care teams as candidates for other potential neoadjuvant therapies which may include checkpoint inhibitors such as atezolizumab, durvalumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab or other novel agents. The targeted therapy treatment trials will be conducted independently of the LCRF-LEADER screening trial, evaluating for efficacy. If none of the 10 oncogenic drivers are detected, the patient will be offered participation in any clinical trial of neoadjuvant therapy available at their treating institution or standard of care therapy. For patients not enrolled on a targeted treatment trial, circulating tumor DNA in blood (ctDNA) will be collected at 3 time points: before neoadjuvant treatment, after neoadjuvant treatment but before surgery, and after surgery. This initiative will be correlated with various clinical outcomes. Prespecified clinical data will be collected for correlation with these circulating biomarkers.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

The investigators will evaluate the theory that Alzheimer's disease-related memory impairment derives from the inefficient orchestration of rhythmic activity at the level of large-scale cortical networks. The results as expected to elucidate AD-related pathophysiology and set groundwork for the development of drug-free interventions for improving memory in AD and related dementias.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2023

open study

This study aims to improve adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics safe sleep (SS) recommendations and improve rates of initiation and duration of partial and exclusive breastfeeding (BF); and reduce Black/White disparities in these practices through the use of private Facebook groups providing a) evidence-based education through videos and other multi-media supporting best practices and b) an online community and social network of other pregnant WIC clients and new parents.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

This study will provide rigorous evaluation of implementing a virtual genome center into community clinical settings without highly specialized resources, thereby offering generalizable insights as to how best to implement genomic medicine at scale and for other age groups. This intervention has great potential to address disparities in genomic medicine among low-income and underrepresented minority (URM) populations and will enhance capacity for providers and health systems to utilize highly specialized genomic techniques in their communities. The goal of this study is to achieve equitable access to state-of-the-art genomic medical care to sick newborns in community centers that predominately care for low-income and racial/ethnic minority populations through the creation of a virtual genome center (VIGOR). VIGOR will provide a venue for physician and family education, genomic expert consultation, reanalysis of unsolved sequencing data, and access to cutting edge therapeutic innovation, thereby facilitating institutionalization of genomic best practices in community settings, and not just highly specialized referral centers.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

This study is a multi-site, cluster randomized, two group implementation trial comparing a low- versus high-intensity implementation strategy for supporting hospital-based opioid use disorder treatment (HBOT) in community hospital settings where medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment has not been implemented.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2021

open study

This phase II trial investigates how well biomarkers on PET/CT imaging drive early discontinuation of anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with stage IIIB-IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Anti-PD-1 therapy has become a standard therapy option for patients with unresectable melanoma. This trial is being done to determine if doctors can safely shorten the use of standard of care anti-PD1 therapy for melanoma by using biomarkers seen on PET/CT imaging and tumor biopsy.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2021

open study

Persistent developmental stuttering affects more than three million people in the United States, and it can have profound adverse effects on quality of life. Despite its prevalence and negative impact, stuttering has resisted explanation and effective treatment, due in large part to a poor understanding of the neural processing impairments underlying the disorder. The overall goal of this study is to improve understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in speech motor planning and how these are disrupted in neurogenic speech disorders, like stuttering. The investigators will do this through an integrated combination of experiments that involve speech production, functional MRI, and non-invasive brain stimulation. The study is designed to test hypotheses regarding the brain processes involved in learning and initiating new speech sound sequences and how those processes compare in persons with persistent developmental stuttering and those with typical speech development. These processes will be studied in both adults and children. Additionally, these processes will be investigated in patients with neurodegenerative speech disorders (primary progressive aphasia) to further inform the investigators understanding of the neural mechanisms that support speech motor sequence learning. Together these experiments will result in an improved account of the brain mechanisms underlying speech production in fluent speakers and individuals who stutter, thereby paving the way for the development of new therapies and technologies for addressing this disorder.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2023

open study

To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Embrace Hydrogel Embolic System for the transcatheter embolization of peripheral arterial bleeds.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

A prospective, single-arm, multi-center study designed to gather additional information on the LimFlow System.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2022

open study

This study is a postmarketing requirement jointly carried out by four NDA holders (Bayer AG, Bracco, GE Healthcare and Guerbet) and the CRO IQVIA. The study aims to create detailed images of the organs and tissue of the human body during x-ray, CT-scan or MRI investigations, doctors are using contrast media (a kind of dye) which can be given to patients by injection into a blood vessel or by mouth. In this study researchers want to find out whether so called gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) have an effect on body movement and mental skills when given to participants multiple times within 5 years. The study plans to enroll about 2076 participants suffering from a condition for which they are likely to have at least annually a MRI or another imaging examinations. Only adults up to 65 years will be considered to join this study. During the study duration of 5 years participants will receive annually a MRI or other imaging tests (such as CT-scan, x-ray) and will visit the study doctor at least 7 times for physical examinations, laboratory investigations and tests on body movement and mental skills.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2021

open study

This is a NIAMS-sponsored clinical trial being conducted through the NIH Helping to End Addition Long-term (HEAL) Initiative's Back Pain Consortium (BACPAC) Research Program. This is a single-arm controlled trial with individuals aged 18-70 with low back pain (LBP). This study investigates the effect(s) of augmenting physical therapy (PT) interventions with the use of an experimental wearable soft robotic device ('exosuit').

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2024

open study

This research is studying the effect of Antibody-Drug Conjugate Sacituzumab Govitecan in Combination with the Poly (Adenosine Diphosphate [ADP]-Ribose) Polymerase (PARP) Inhibitor Talazoparib in Patients with Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2019

open study

This Phase 3 study is conducted to evaluate lanifibranor in adults with NASH and liver fibrosis histological stage F2 or F3

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2021

open study

Stroke is among the leading causes of long-term disability worldwide. Post-stroke neuromotor impairments are heterogeneous, yet often result in reduced walking ability characterized by slow, asymmetric, and unstable gait patterns. Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) is an emerging rehabilitation approach that leverages auditory-motor synchronization to retrain neuromotor control of walking. Indeed, walking with RAS can enhance walking rhythmicity, gait quality, and speed. RAS is a potentially valuable tool for walking rehabilitation after stroke; however, despite extensive research evidence on the overall benefits of RAS in people with chronic stroke, the notable variability in the walking characteristics of individual patients is likely to influence the effectiveness of RAS intervention, and thus requires study. Furthermore, beyond stroke-related factors, age-related changes may also affect how well individuals post-stroke respond to RAS. This study aims to recruit 24 individuals post-stroke and 20 older adults to evaluate the effects of stroke- and age-related neuromotor impairment on RAS intervention. Each study participant will complete two six-minute walk tests: one without RAS (baseline) and the other with RAS delivered using a metronome. The investigators hypothesize that post-stroke individuals will, on average, exhibit a positive response to RAS intervention (i.e., walk farther and with greater gait automaticity (i.e., reduced stride time variability), with the degree of response predicted by specific baseline characteristics. Furthermore, the investigators anticipate that these walking enhancements will be accompanied by improvements in gait biomechanics and a reduction in the metabolic cost of walking. The investigators hypothesize that older adults will exhibit similar, but attenuated, effects of RAS.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

Alcohol use is a significant problem among Latinxs and immigration-related stress increases risk for substance use. A theoretically-based cultural adaptation of motivational interviewing (CAMI) that specifically integrated discussion of immigration-related stressors (e.g., stigma, social isolation) resulted in significant reductions in alcohol-related harms for those Latinx heavy drinkers with high discrimination compared to standard MI, and reduced anxiety and depressive symptoms one year later compared to MI. Rigorous tests that examine theoretically-informed adaptation of efficacious addiction interventions are not common, yet are needed to advance implementation science. This Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation study will investigate the feasibility of implementing CAMI in a real-world clinical setting. The key questions are: Would CAMI have positive effects among individuals who use both drugs and alcohol? How do providers view this intervention? The investigators will collaborate with a primary care center that serves a mainly Latinx client population to train their Community Wellness Advocates (CWAs) to deliver CAMI to patients who are heavy drinkers. The investigators will conduct a concurrent investigation on the process of implementing CAMI in primary care - a two-arm randomized clinical effectiveness trial will enroll Latinx heavy drinkers (18 years or older) in primary care who use alcohol (and may use other drugs) - and follow them for 12 months after the intervention. Specific Aims are: (1) To examine the impact of CAMI plus a booster session (vs. assessment only) on outcomes: % heavy drinking days, frequency of alcohol-related consequences, depressive/anxiety symptoms, and number of illicit drug use days, using a Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation design and (2) To gather indicators of implementation outcome from multiple stakeholders using a mixed-methods approach. The investigators will follow Curran's framework to evaluate the process of implementation and Proctor's framework to measure implementation outcomes. This study, a first to examine the acceptability of culturally-adapted addiction treatments in primary care settings, will answer essential questions on implementing evidence-based care for Latinxs that can improve health disparities related to substance use. Long term goals are to translate the lessons from this Hybrid study to the broader community to focus on population health for all primary care patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

Mutual exclusivity is a word learning constraint in which the learner assumes that a given word refers to only one category of objects. In spoken languages, mutual exclusivity has been demonstrated in monolingual children as young as 17 months and cross-linguistically, while multilingual learners show an attenuated mutual exclusivity bias. Mutual exclusivity has not been robustly demonstrated in deaf children acquiring American Sign Language (ASL). Further, it is unclear if mutual exclusivity applies to those learning both a signed and a spoken language. Like unimodal bilinguals, bimodal bilingual (BiBi) children learn two words for an object, but these words are separated by modality. A BiBi child could therefore assume that all objects have two words (like unimodal bilinguals) or that all objects have one spoken word and one sign (within-modality mutual exclusivity). The goals of the current study are to demonstrate mutual exclusivity in monolingual deaf children acquiring ASL, and to determine if BiBi deaf children utilize mutual exclusivity within each modality.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2023

open study

This is a Phase I multicenter, open-label, dose-ranging, three-dose PK and PD study of injectable LB administered as an IM or SQ injection at 40 mg, and subsequently at 50mg SQ and then 60 mg SQ depending on the preliminary pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic results obtained with 40 mg dosing.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2020

open study

The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized clinical trial for an innovative intervention entitled "Mastering the World of Work" (MWW). MWW aims to improve the employment outcomes of individuals with psychiatric disabilities who experience metacognitive deficits. Metacognitive deficits are represented in diminished capacity to form an integrated sense of self and others and respond to challenges in life. The randomized trial (N=60) will be conducted with recipients of Supported Employment (Individual Placement and Support) services at the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester, in Manchester, NH. Given COVID-19 safety considerations, the MWW intervention will be delivered in a hybrid manner depending on the preferences of both clinicians and clients at the MHCGM at any given point of the study. The feasibility of remote delivery of the intervention has been established as part of a pilot study conducted at BU CPR. Thus, clinicians may deliver the intervention using HIPAA-complaint ZOOM connection and/or in person. The assessments will be administered at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months post baseline remotely by BU staff using a HIPAA-complaint ZOOM connection. The RCT will establish preliminary evidence about the incremental effectiveness of the MWW intervention to improve the employment outcomes of individuals with metacognitive deficits who receive high fidelity IPS services. Study participants randomized to the control condition will receive IPS services as usual.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2022

open study

While appendectomy has been the main treatment of appendicitis for over 100 years, recent European studies found that, at least among highly selected patients, antibiotics alone can be an effective alternative. Surgeons and patients alike have a difficult time deciding if surgery or antibiotics are the best choice to treat appendicitis. The goal of the TRIAD is to evaluate the patients who are a part of the TRIAD implementation program and assess satisfaction and decisional regret for patients with appendicitis. This information will be used to inform the design of decision-support interventions to help patients improve their ability to make an informed decision in-line with their preferences and values.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2022

open study

This study will perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of hemodynamics and cerebrospinal fluid flow across breathing tasks and during breath-locked neuromodulation.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2022

open study

Digital mental health interventions are a cost-effective and efficient approach to expanding the accessibility and impact of psychological treatments; however, little guidance exists for selecting the most effective program for a given individual. In the proposed study, decision rules will develop for selecting the digital program that is most likely to be the optimal intervention for each user. These treatment recommendations can be implemented in the context of large healthcare delivery systems to improve the delivery of digital mental health interventions at scale. The overarching aim of the current study is to better understand for whom and how leading digital interventions work in a large healthcare setting. The study builds on the existing literature and follows expert recommendations by using machine learning (ML) methods to develop precision treatment rules (PTRs) for three leading digital interventions for emotional disorders (e.g., anxiety, depression, and related mental health disorders). Specifically, ML methods will be used to develop PTRs to optimize clinical outcomes and associated intervention engagement. This study will leverage a unique partnership between Boston University (BU), SilverCloud Health (SC)--a leading provider of digital mental health care--and Kaiser Permanente (KP)--one of America's leading health care providers. A clinical trial (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate the relative effectiveness of three distinct empirically supported digital mental health interventions (from SC's existing library of programs) in a sample recruited from KP primary care and other clinical settings. Data from this trial will be used to develop theoretically and empirically informed, reliable selection algorithms for managing treatment delivery decisions. Algorithms will be validated in a separate "holdout" dataset by examining whether allocation to predicted optimal treatment is associated with superior outcomes compared to allocation to a non-optimal treatment. The role of user engagement will be determined, and other mechanisms in treatment outcome.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2023

open study

The purpose of this study is to investigate several approaches for improving spatial perception and speech intelligibility in multitalker listening situations for hearing-aid users. The hypotheses are that spatial perception and speech intelligibility will be improved by (1) increased high-frequency audibility, (2) speech envelope enhancement, and/or (3) appropriate sound image externalization.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study