Tulane Research - Clinical Translational Unit

Through this award, Michael Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, a psychologist at the Tulane Cancer Center in Louisiana, will lead a study called EMPOWER 3 designed to test an educational intervention to help patients understand palliative care, use it, and feel better emotionally and physically. Participants will be adults with serious cancer diagnoses. Participants will be randomized into two groups. Patients in the control group will get enhanced usual care, meaning standard cancer care and several additional healthcare-related brochures. Patients in the intervention group will get enhanced usual care plus an educational video developed by the investigators and other materials designed to increase understanding and use of palliative care. Family members of patients in the intervention group may also attend if desired. The investigators will track participants' understanding of palliative care, attitudes toward palliative care, symptoms over 6 months of follow-up, and palliative care utilization.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2021

open study

The goal of this clinical trial is to test the effectiveness of an evidence-based multi-level intervention for weight loss and the feasibility, fidelity, and sustainability of implementing the intervention in low-income and underserved people living with obesity in Louisiana. The main questions it aims to answer are: - Will an evidence-based multi-level obesity intervention (called LA-CEAL CONNECT) in adults living with obesity in low-income and underserved communities achieve weight loss at 6 months compared to enhanced usual care? - Will LA-CEAL CONNECT sustain weight loss at 12 months? - Will LA-CEAL CONNECT improve waist circumference, diet quality, physical activity, quality of life, and blood pressure at 6 and 12 months? - Will LA-CEAL CONNECT be feasible to implement in adults living with obesity in low-income and underserved communities? Researchers will compare the LA-CEAL CONNECT multilevel weight loss intervention to enhanced usual care to evaluate if LA-CEAL CONNECT leads to greater weight loss and greater changes in waist circumference, diet, physical activity, quality of life, and blood pressure than enhanced usual care. Participants in both arms will: - Receive health literacy-tailored educational materials and resources for weight loss - Visit the clinic site for baseline, 6-month and 12-month study visits to collect clinical and survey measurements Participants in the CONNECT intervention arm will also: - receive health coaching - self-monitor weight and physical activity using digital technologies - attend group meetings to identify and increase utilization of community health and wellness resources

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2025

open study

Study RIN-PF-305 is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of inhaled treprostinil in subjects with progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) over a 52-week period.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Oct 2023

open study

The main purpose of study is to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of different dose levels of mRNA-1647 versus control in healthy cytomegalovirus (CMV)-seronegative and CMV-seropositive female and male participants 9 to 15 years of age. In addition, mRNA-1647 will be evaluated in female participants 16 to 25 years as a comparator cohort.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2022

open study

Randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of the Supporting Tailored Adaptive change and Reinforcement for Medication Adherence Program (STAR-MAP), a health coaching approach that aims to improve antihypertensive medication adherence, blood pressure control, and quality of life. Participants (n=402) >=40 years old with a diagnosis of hypertension, uncontrolled blood pressure, and low antihypertensive medication adherence will be recruited through a statewide health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana, and randomized to receive either interactive health coaching sessions with medication reminder tools (intervention) or medication reminder tools only (control) over one year. Data will be collected from participants at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months using questionnaires, physical measurement (height, weight, blood pressure), a computer-based single-category implicit association test, and laboratory analysis of antihypertensive medication urinary metabolites.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2022

open study

In parallel with the growth of American Thrombosis and Hemostasis Network's (ATHN) clinical studies, the number of new therapies for all congenital and acquired hematologic conditions, not just those for bleeding and clotting disorders, is increasing significantly. Some of the recently FDA-approved therapies for congenital and acquired hematologic conditions have yet to demonstrate long-term safety and effectiveness beyond the pivotal trials that led to their approval. In addition, results from well-controlled, pivotal studies often cannot be replicated once a therapy has been approved for general use.(1,2,3,4) In 2019 alone, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued approvals for twenty-four new therapies for congenital and acquired hematologic conditions.(5) In addition, almost 10,000 new studies for hematologic diseases are currently registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov.(6) With this increase in potential new therapies on the horizon, it is imperative that clinicians and clinical researchers in the field of non-neoplastic hematology have a uniform, secure, unbiased, and enduring method to collect long-term safety and efficacy data. ATHN Transcends is a cohort study to determine the safety, effectiveness, and practice of therapies used in the treatment of participants with congenital or acquired non-neoplastic blood disorders and connective tissue disorders with bleeding tendency. The study consists of 7 cohorts with additional study "arms" and "modules" branching off from the cohorts. The overarching objective of this longitudinal, observational study is to characterize the safety, effectiveness and practice of treatments for all people with congenital and acquired hematologic disorders in the US. As emphasized in a recently published review, accurate, uniform and quality national data collection is critical in clinical research, particularly for longitudinal cohort studies covering a lifetime of biologic risk.(7)

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2020

open study

The objective of this research is to evaluate a multi-module "color brave" app-based intervention for parents of children in K-2nd grade, that guides them in how to initiate and proactively engage their children in productive, critical discussions around race/racism and anti-racism. This study will recruit a national sample of parents and their K-2nd grade children. The impact of the intervention will be tested using a rigorous randomized wait-list controlled trial design. The design of the intervention is based on research indicating that among children, positive intergroup contact with outgroup members, including vicarious engagement, can prevent or reduce anti-outgroup bias, in particular, when contact is based on common goals, cooperation rather than competition, and supported by external authorities. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, a mixed-methods design will be utilized involving collection of a broad range of outcome measures through online questionnaire surveys, one-on-one interviews with parents and children, and parent-child dyadic interviews.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2025

open study

Phase III, multicenter, randomized study with two arms (1:1 ratio) enrolling patients with AML relapsed/refractory after 2, 3, or 4 prior induction regimens: Experimental arm: DFP-10917 14-day continuous intravenous (IV) infusion at a dose of 6 mg/m²/day followed by a 14-day resting period per 28-day cycles. Control arm: Non-Intensive Reinduction (LoDAC, Azacitidine, Decitabine, Venetoclax Combination Regimens) or Intensive Reinduction (High and Intermediate Dose Cytarabine Regimens), depending on the patient's prior induction treatment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2019

open study

This study examines the effects of 6 different music therapy interventions on outcomes for neonates diagnosed with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2017

open study

This is a phase 0, non-interventional, longitudinal, electronic data capture (EDC) study to facilitate the HEARTBEAT Study project has set out to explore the potential use of smartwatches in collecting and analyzing biometric data to improve the detection, identification, and understanding of cardiovascular diseases and related conditions by SAMSUNG and Tulane. The study will include up to ten thousand adult subjects tasked with wearing a smartwatch to collect digital biomarker data over a 1 year period. Concurrent to smartwatch data collection, subjects will be instructed to complete questionnaires via the Huma Decentralized Clinical Trials (HUMADCT) platform. There are no investigational drugs or interventions administered as part of this study.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2024

open study

This is a hybrid (retrospective and prospective) non-interventional registry study to further describe the clinical profile of zanubrutinib in Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM) participants with and without specific mutations and from racial and ethnic minority groups. Data collected from this registry study will be used to better understand the clinical benefit and safety of zanubrutinib for the treatment of participants in these populations.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Mar 2023

open study

This study is an access and distribution protocol for unlicensed cryopreserved cord blood units (CBUs) in pediatric and adult patients with hematologic malignancies and other indications.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2011

open study

SMARTT will estimate the incidence of conditions and diagnoses potentially related to in utero exposure to antiretroviral therapy and/or exposure in the first two months of life among children born of HIV-infected mothers.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Mar 2007

open study

The aim of the Correlation Of CoAGulation-Atrial Fibrillation (COAG-AF) study is to prove that an increase in pro-thrombotic biomarkers in AF is associated with an increase in AF burden. Secondary objectives of the study are the following: - To investigate the impact of catheter ablation on serum pro-thrombotic biomarkers in patients with AF. - To correlate coagulation biomarkers with imaging features such as, the degree of fibrosis found on Late Gadolinium Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging (LGE-MRI) scans, which is a part of standard of care. - To determine baseline values of coagulation and pro-thrombotic biomarkers in the AF population and compare those baseline values with the general population values. - To compare central and peripheral thrombotic biomarkers in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2021

open study

This trial is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Phasix™ Mesh implantation at the time of midline fascial closure compared to primary suture closure in preventing a subsequent incisional hernia in subjects at risk for incisional hernia after open midline laparotomy surgery.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2019

open study

This is an interventional, prospective, international, multicenter, single-arm, Phase 3, and sequential efficacy and safety study in adolescents and adults with congenital hemophilia A or B with inhibitors to factor VIII (FVIII) or factor IX (FIX) undergoing elective major surgical procedures.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2024

open study

In pregnant women with von Willebrand disease (VWD) who by the third trimester do not have von Willebrand factor (VWF) or factor VIII (FVIII) levels greater than 50-100%, specific guidance is lacking for delivery planning in terms of how high of a VWF level should be achieved to reduce bleeding. This is a prospective, open-label, cohort study in women with VWD using Wilate VWF replacement therapy to maintain trough or minimum VWF levels of 100-150% for delivery and the immediate postpartum period, followed by levels of 50-100% for 5-10 days after delivery, depending upon the route of delivery. The primary objective is to document the rate of primary postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). The secondary objective is to document further effectiveness outcomes and safety.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Oct 2019

open study

Patients are enrolled to screening (Reg Step 1) prior to or after ASCT but prior to Reg Step 2. Patients are followed until they will begin Maintenance and then registered to Reg Step 2 (first randomization). Patients are randomized between Lenalidomide for 2 years and Lenalidomide + Daratumumab/rHuPH20. After 2 years of Maintenance, MRD is assessed to guide further therapy. MRD-positive patients will continue with the assigned treatment. MRD-negative patients will be further randomized (Reg Step 3) to either continue or discontinue the assigned treatment. Patients are treated for up to 7 years from Step 2 reg and followed for up to 15 years.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2019

open study

To Determine the Effects of Seladelpar on Normalization of Alkaline Phosphatase Levels in Subjects with Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) and an Incomplete Response or Intolerance to Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA). The primary objective is to evaluate the effect of seladelpar treatment at Week 52 compared to placebo based on normalization of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) defined by a composite endpoint of ALP ≤ 1.0× upper limit of normal (ULN) and ≥ 15% decrease from baseline in PBC participants with an ALP value greater than ULN but less than 1.67× ULN.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of oral daily administration of TTI-101 over a 12-week treatment duration in participants with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2023

open study

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the US general population. Although CVD mortality rates declined for both Black and White populations during the past two decades, they are still higher in Black adults than White adults. There are also persistent disparities in CVD risk factors with higher prevalence of obesity, hypertension, and diabetes in Black compared to White populations. In addition, CVD and risk factors are more prevalent in the residents of Louisiana compared to the US general population. The Church-based Health Intervention to Eliminate Racial Inequalities in Cardiovascular Health (CHERISH) study will use a church-based community health worker (CHW)-led multifaceted intervention to address racial inequities in CVD risk factors in Black communities in New Orleans, Louisiana. The primary aim of the CHERISH study is to compare the impact of two implementation strategies - a CHW-led multifaceted strategy and a group-based education strategy - for delivering interventions recommended by the 2019 American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease on implementation and clinical effectiveness outcomes in Black community members over 18 months.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Sep 2023

open study

The investigators hypothesize that Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrosis development. The investigators aim to prove the presence of atrial fibrosis on Delayed Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DE-MRI) in OSA patients without atrial fibrillation (AF).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2021

open study

This phase III trial studies whether adding apalutamide to the usual treatment improves outcome in patients with lymph node positive prostate cancer after surgery. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-ray to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Androgens, or male sex hormones, can cause the growth of prostate cancer cells. Drugs, such as apalutamide, may help stop or reduce the growth of prostate cancer cell growth by blocking the attachment of androgen to its receptors on cancer cells, a mechanism similar to stopping the entrance of a key into its lock. Adding apalutamide to the usual hormone therapy and radiation therapy after surgery may stabilize prostate cancer and prevent it from spreading and extend time without disease spreading compared to the usual approach.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Mar 2020

open study

The purpose of ORACLE is to demonstrate the ability of a novel ctDNA assay developed by Guardant Health to detect recurrence in individuals treated for early-stage solid tumors. It is necessary that ctDNA test results are linked to clinical outcomes in order to demonstrate clinical validity for recurrence detection and explore its value in a healthcare environment subject to cost containment.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Sep 2021

open study

The Prehospital Airway Control Trial (PACT) is a proposed 5 year, open label, multi-center, stepped-wedge randomized trial comparing airway management strategies of prehospital trauma patients. The initial airway attempt will be randomized to either usual care (control) or a supraglottic airway management approach (intervention). The primary outcome will be 24 hour survival, with secondary outcomes to include survival to hospital discharge, expected clinical adverse events, airway management performance, ICU length of stay, ventilator days, incidence of ARDS, and incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia. Subjects will be enrolled across approximately 17 prehospital agencies at select LITES Network sites and will enroll a total of 2,009 subjects.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2021

open study