Featured Studies

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) seeks healthy volunteers for a study about blood vessel stiffness. In this study, healthy volunteers will be compared with patients with rare genetic conditions that affect the blood vessels. All study-related procedures are provided at no cost and compensation is provided.

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.

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.

The research study sets out to learn about changes in the genetic makeup of CLL during the early phase of treatment with venetoclax. The initial phase of venetoclax therapy can be medically and logistically challenging. Patients will receive expert medical care at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Does your pace of life in the city affect your health? Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are conducting a study of two neighborhoods in Washington, D.C. in relationship to the environmental stress and the health behaviors of White and African American women. This research study will work to determine if there is a significant connection between neighborhood environment and the impact in women's health.

Doctors at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are conducting a study on patients with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP). Patients with CHIP have a genetic mutation that has been associated with blood cancer. The study will look at CHIP and try to determine its relationship to blood cancers and heart disease. The study will also try to discover other new organs or diseases that may be linked with.