UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a rare neurological condition that causes stiffness, weakness, and difficulty walking due to damage in the nerves that control movement. This study will test whether a noninvasive form of spinal cord stimulation, called transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS), can improve walking and reduce muscle stiffness in adults with HSP. In this study, participants will receive tSCS twice a week for 8 weeks. The stimulation is delivered through self-adhesive electrodes placed on the skin over the lower back and does not require surgery. Each session will last about one hour. After the treatment period, participants will be followed for an additional 8 weeks without stimulation to see whether any improvements are maintained. Researchers will measure walking speed, walking endurance, muscle stiffness, and overall disease severity. Additional tests will explore changes in bladder and bowel function and muscle strength.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2026

open study

Stroke, severe brain injury, uncontrolled seizures and brain infections are the most common life-threatening neurological illnesses in the world with an estimated combined annual hospital management cost of up to 44 billion dollars. Seizures and infections are common complications following acute neurological illnesses and contribute significantly to poor outcomes if not promptly treated with appropriately dosed anti-seizure medications and antibiotics, respectively. Limited research suggested that many of those patients present with a phenomenon called augmented renal clearance (ARC) or, in other words, enhanced kidney function. ARC may have a significant influence on how medications are removed from the body potentially resulting in insufficient doses and treatment failure. Therefore, patients with ARC require higher medication doses; however, ARC is largely undetected using kidney assessment methods currently used in practice. In addition, it is not clear how medications should be dosed in those with ARC. The majority of ARC research has not focused on patients with life-threatening neurological illnesses. Thus, clinicians are likely under-dosing vital medications in those patients, and completely unaware. There is an immediate need to address the gap in knowledge. Therefore, this research aims to characterize the phenomenon of ARC in patients with life-threatening neurological illnesses through identifying the frequency, duration, contributing factors and clinical impact of ARC. Adult patients admitted to the neurosciences intensive care unit for life-threatening neurological illnesses will be enrolled in the study. Urine and blood samples wil be collected from participants to determine the presence of ARC and identify its contributing factors. In addition, blood samples will be collected from participants treated with select antibiotics and anti-seizure medications to determine their concentration and propose dose adjustment in those with ARC. This research is expected to improve the care of patients with life-threatening neurological illnesses through efficient identification and monitoring of patients exhibiting ARC facilitating timely medication dosage optimization. Furthermore, recommendations of optimal doses of commonly used medications in patients with ARC would improve the likelihood of treatment success with potential to improve patients' health and wellbeing.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2021

open study

The goal of this observational study is to learn how two medicines used in routine care-buprenorphine and morphine-affect recovery in newborns (≥36 weeks' gestation) with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Do infants treated with buprenorphine become medically ready for discharge sooner than those treated with morphine? 2. Does one treatment lead to better overall clinical outcomes than the other? Researchers will compare infants who received buprenorphine with infants who received morphine to see whether one treatment helps babies recover more quickly. Participants will not be asked to do anything. Instead, the study team will collect information already documented in the infant's and mother's medical records securely without any contact or changes to clinical care. No new medicines, procedures, or visits are involved. This study only reviews existing clinical data to better understand which commonly used treatment may support faster recovery for newborns with NOWS.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Dec 2025

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to help learn about the safety and feasibility of hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy for those who have colorectal liver metastases, both resectable and unresectable, or unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. The main questions it aims to answer are: - safety and feasibility of installing a pump that deliveries chemotherapy to the hepatic artery (the blood vessel that supplies blood to the liver) - help learn more about the safety of patients having pump refills at home or a local clinic versus having it routinely done at the hospital Participants will have surgery to install a pump which is a standard surgical procedure. After surgery, participants will select to either receive treatment at the hospital facility or with a community oncologist that will provide cancer care to participants close to home, rather than in a large hospital or academic medical center. The main treatment on study will last about 3-4 months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2026

open study

The overarching goal of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative Lung Cancer Survivorship Care program is to reduce the burden of lung cancer by offering an innovative survivorship care approach that improves lung cancer quality of life, overcomes lung cancer stigma, and helps survivors engage with care. The project involves a two-group parallel randomized clinical trial comparing the impact of the Kentucky LEADS Collaborative Lung Cancer Survivorship Care program (KLCLCSC) among lung cancer survivors (N=300) against an enhanced usual care condition (bibliotherapy+assessment) on quality of life outcomes.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2024

open study

This is a prospective study involving all patients treated at the University of Kentucky for spinal epidural abscess over a 2-year period. Based on ongoing referrals of patients with SEA, we expect that 200 patients will be enrolled during this time window. We propose to study all available clinical, pathological, radiological, and socioeconomic data of patients diagnosed with a spinal infection with or without a history of drug abuse over this study period. All patients' charts will be prospectively reviewed starting at the time of presentation for a period of 1 year.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jul 2022

open study

The investigator hypothesizes that treatment with the ß3 agonist mirabegron results in improved glucose metabolism, including a reversal of prediabetes in obese, insulin-resistant human research participants, and this is further improved by combination therapy with tadalafil. The investigator will comprehensively analyze glucose homeostasis in prediabetic patients treated for 14 weeks with mirabegron, tadalafil or both drugs as compared to a placebo.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2021

open study

Mental contamination-an internal experience of dirtiness evoked in the absence of physical contact with an external source-has been linked to the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following exposure to sexual abuse or assault (Adams et al., 2014; Badour et al., 2013; Brake et al., 2017). Mental contamination has been associated with greater PTSD severity (Rachman et al., 2015) and higher elevations in specific PTSD symptom clusters (particularly those of intrusive reexperiencing, negative cognitions/mood, and arousal/reactivity; Brake et al., 2019; Fergus & Bardeen, 2016). Additionally, trauma-related mental contamination has been linked to a number of negative posttraumatic emotions such as shame, guilt, disgust, and anger (Fairbrother & Rachman, 2004; Radomsky & Elliott, 2009) Despite clear and consistent links between mental contamination and problematic posttraumatic outcomes following sexual trauma, there is a dearth of research investigating how existing or promising new interventions for PTSD impact mental contamination. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an efficacious and effective 12-session manualized cognitive-behavioral intervention for PTSD that is considered a gold-standard empirically-supported treatment for PTSD that is recommended by the American Psychological Association (APA, 2017). In addition to PTSD symptom improvement, CPT has also demonstrated benefit for improving feelings of shame and guilt, which are often seen among individuals with trauma-related mental contamination (Nishith et al., 2005; Resick et al., 2002, 2008). Cognitive reappraisal, a primary technique employed in CPT, involves challenging one's view of an emotionally-eliciting situation to alter its emotional impact (Gross & John, 2003). However, some investigators have suggested that cognitive reappraisal may be less effective in targeting moral emotions such as shame, guilt, and self-disgust that are based on an individual's standards and virtues (Finlay, 2015). Self-compassion (SC; i.e., self-directed care and kindness; forgiveness; and feelings of common humanity; Neff, 2003) has been proposed as an alternative method for addressing trauma-related shame and preliminary evidence suggests a 6-session self-compassion intervention may have benefit for reducing both PTSD symptoms and trauma-related shame (Au et al., 2017). Given the centrality of shame, guilt, and self-disgust to the experience of mental contamination, and the fact that mental contamination often arises in response to experiences involving moral violation or betrayal (Millar et al., 2016; Rachman, 2010), a SC intervention for PTSD may also offer promise as a standalone or adjunctive intervention for reducing trauma-related mental contamination. A test of these interventions for their impact on reducing trauma-related mental contamination is needed. The current study will use Single Case Experimental Design to isolate and evaluate the effects of CPT and SC in reducing both PTSD symptoms and trauma-related mental contamination among individuals with PTSD resulting from sexual trauma. Aims: 1) explore whether participants demonstrate reductions in mental contamination and PTSD symptoms in response to 12-sessions of CPT or 6-sessions of a SC intervention; 2) evaluate whether presentation of either treatment first yields differences in symptom reduction for PTSD and/or mental contamination symptoms; 3) evaluate whether the addition of the alternative module will enhance reductions in PTSD symptoms and mental contamination; 4) evaluate if such reductions are maintained during follow-up. Visual inspection analysis and statistical methods will be used to draw conclusions regarding the effects of the interventions on PTSD symptoms and mental contamination.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2020

open study

Establish a data repository of patients who have undergone single, two-, or three-level lumbar instrumented arthrodesis procedures supplemented by the Implanet Jazz System.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

The objective of this study is to identify the opioid-sparing effects, and pain-reduction potential of low dose, sub-dissociative ketamine on patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) procedures receiving naloxone continuous infusion (NCI).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2020

open study

The REACH study is for people with CF who do not take cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulators. The goal of the REACH study is to collect research data, including health data and specimens, from people with CF who do not take CFTR modulators. This data may be used to inform CF research, help design CF clinical trials and support the development of new treatments for people with CF who do not take CFTR modulators. Another goal of this study is to learn about research involvement for people with CF who do not take CFTR modulators, engage them in research, and give them an opportunity to learn about what is involved in participating in a CF research study.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

Pediatric traumatic injury (PTI) is a public health priority, with more than 125,000 children experiencing injuries that require hospitalization each year. These children, and their caregivers, are affected in many ways that may affect quality of life, emotional and behavioral health, physical recovery, family roles and routines, and academic functioning; yet US trauma centers do not adequately address these outcomes and a scalable national model of care for these families is needed. This proposal builds on prior research from the investigative team to test a technology-assisted, stepped care behavioral health intervention for children (<12 years) and their caregivers after PTI, CAARE (Caregivers' Aid to Accelerate Recovery after pediatric Emergencies), via a hybrid type I effectiveness-implementation trial with 348 families randomly assigned to CAARE (n=174) vs. guideline-adherent enhanced usual care (EUC) (n=174).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2025

open study

In this Phase 2 study, we will conduct an efficacy and safety study of the combination of investigational drug BMX-001, with short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) or long-course chemoradiotherapy (LCCRT) as part of total neoadjuvant therapy in newly diagnosed rectal adenocarcinoma (RAC) patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2022

open study

The study will be a non-randomized, non-blinded pilot study to analyze the safety and feasibility of a non-significant risk device, transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation. The aim is to include 30 total patients, 10 patients in each of 3 groups: 1. Non-traumatic spinal cord injury (ntSCI) with diagnosis of degenerative cervical myelopathy and offered surgical intervention. 2. Early tSCI screened during the hospital admission when cervical/thoracic spinal injury was diagnosed. 3. Delayed tSCI (control) screened 6-24 months after acute cervical/thoracic spinal injury.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

This is a single center, prospective cohort study of pregnant patients at high risk for spontaneous preterm birth: patient's with history of spontaneous preterm birth, patient's with a short cervix and patient's symptomatic for preterm birth will be included. A control cohort of nulliparous patients without a short cervix will be recruited to provide baseline data. Plan to enroll 240 patients identified through our ultrasound unit with goal of 60 patients in each group.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Feb 2022

open study

The goal of this study is to learn if PT150 can reduce the behavioral and physical effects of stress, alcohol, and alcohol use in people with alcohol use disorder.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2025

open study

This outpatient study examines how cannabidiol (CBD) affects the behavioral and pain-relieving effects of cannabis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2026

open study

This will be a human laboratory study evaluating the influence of pentoxifylline treatment on the effects of cocaine. Supported by and included in the Helping to End Addiction Long-term® (HEAL) Initiative.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2025

open study

The goal of this observational study is to investigate the safety and efficacy of the WRAPSODY CIE in a real-world North American population. Participants treated with the WRAPSODY CIE device in accordance with the device instructions for use will be followed in accordance with standard of care up to 3-years post-procedure.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jul 2025

open study

Phase I/IIa image-guided, alpha-particle therapy study of [203Pb]Pb-PSV359 and [212Pb]Pb-PSV359 in patients with solid tumors that are known to be Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP)-positive.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2025

open study

The C4 program aims to provide a multi-level intervention program (Patient Level, Healthcare Team and Healthcare System Level) that improves the coordination of care with supportive/ancillary care providers and community services through the use of patient navigation and a digital needs assessment and a closed-loop referral system and improves patient-centered communication and engagement in care through skills training for the healthcare team and provision of culturally appropriate patient educational tools and resources. The program components incorporate three areas that are critical to improving patient-centered care: coordination of care, patient-centered communication and engagement, and psychosocial care and other supportive services.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2024

open study

This study plans to enroll participants with opioid use disorder who are not currently seeking treatment to assess the effects of cannabis on opioid withdrawal and other related outcomes.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

This is a multicenter randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess whether a 6-month course of oral montelukast after ACL reconstruction reduces systemic markers of inflammation and biochemical and imaging biomarkers of cartilage degradation. This study will specifically target older ACL reconstruction patients with concomitant meniscal injuries as this group is at greatest risk of rapid PTOA progression. Patients will randomly be assigned to receive oral montelukast (10 mg) versus placebo daily for 6 months after surgery.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Feb 2021

open study

Management of severe injuries to the heel (displaced intra-articular calcaneus fractures) continues to be a major challenge for orthopedic surgeons. Previous studies have demonstrated poor outcomes, and results show that patients experience long-term pain and decreased quality of life postoperatively. Poor outcomes are driven by pain, in particular, which is linked to post-traumatic subtalar arthritis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2024

open study

This study will compare the effects of a brief supportive intervention, called Pathways, against enhanced usual care on the mental health and quality of life of people undergoing treatment for advanced lung cancer. Patients will complete baseline survey measures and be randomized to intervention. Survey measures will be collected again mid-intervention, post-intervention and at 6- and 12-week follow-up, with analyses focused on changes pre- to post-intervention.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2023

open study