Featured Studies

National Cancer Institute (NCI) researchers are conducting a study of patients with rare central nervous system (CNS) tumors. More than 130 primary rare CNS (brain or spine) tumors have been identified. Most affect less than 2,000 people in the United States each year. This study will test whether stimulating the immune system using the drug nivolumab can shrink select rare brain or spine tumors or increase the time it takes for them to grow or spread.

Women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) needed for a research study at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Researchers want to learn more about how a medication may be used to help your body's insulin work better and if this can improve your overall metabolic health.

Severe aplastic anemia is a rare and serious blood disorder. Patients with severe aplastic anemia commonly receive Cyclosporine to help improve blood counts. When cyclosporine treatment stops, the disease may return in one in three people. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center are studying if sirolimus, an immunosuppressant, can help prevent a relapse in patients diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia following cyclosporine treatment.

Treatment of severe aplastic anemia (SAA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) usually involves a bone marrow transplant. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are testing ways to make transplant using unrelated donor cells from umbilical cord blood safer and more effective. We hope these procedures will reduce post-transplant complications and improve transplant outcomes.

Fanconi anemia is a rare genetic disorder that mostly affects children and often leads to bone marrow failure. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are investigating a new drug to improve blood counts in individuals diagnosed with Fanconi anemia. Eltrombopag is an oral drug that mimics a special protein that causes the body to make more platelets. Currently eltrombopag is used to treat low platelet counts in patients with hepatitis C and chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Researchers are evaluating if this new drug will improve blood cell counts in individuals diagnosed with Fanconi anemia.

African-American women, ages 25-75, who are obese or overweight and pre-diabetic, are needed to participate in a research study at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Researchers want to explore if the use of mobile technology and coaching can help increase physical activity.

Crohn's disease is a chronic bowel illness that is a lifelong condition characterized by relapsing inflammation. Although there is no cure for Crohn's disease, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are investigating if Vorinostat is safe for people with Crohn's Disease. Participants will receive maintenance therapy with Stelara® after successful treatment with Vorinostat.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are studying if the medication danazol can be used to treat people with short telomere disease who also have bone marrow failure, liver, or lung disease. In recent studies, danazol, at high doses, showed a positive influence on telomere length. Additional research is needed to learn more about the role of different doses of danazol on telomere disease as well as its effects on secondary diseases.

Doctors at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) seek healthy volunteers (with or without a sickle cell trait) and patients with sickle cell for a research study. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder that occurs mainly in people of African descent. Study participants will have a one-time visit to the NIH to provide blood samples. Researchers hope this study will help us better understand sickle cell disease.