13 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
The Human Blood Cell Disorder Tissue Bank will provide a convenient, comprehensive source of tissue containing populations of human blood cells from patients with various types of lymphoid, myeloid, and erythroid proliferative diseases as well as other associated conditions. The tissue bank will continue to be an invaluable asset for understanding of the biology of multiple blood cell disorders involving several cell types as well as the physiology of normal cellular counterparts affected in these disorders. Internal and external investigators will be able to utilize this tissue to test hypotheses relating to the immunologic, virologic, genetic, and molecular properties of these abnormal cells as well as normal cells from normal unaffected family members or normal aged matched subjects to provide better comparisons.
We are studying virologic and/or immunologic parameters of HIV infection and other infectious or non-infectious immune deficiency diseases in order to better understand the pathogenesis of HIV. Because of the lack of an adequate animal model it is generally necessary to utilize human peripheral blood cells for studying aspects of either in vivo or in vitro HIV infection. We wish to be able to continue to elucidate many pathogenic aspects of HIV infection in relation to other infectious or non-infectious immune regulation and dysregulation using human peripheral blood mononuclear cells as a model.
To investigate the safety of partially matched related human placental-derived stem cells (HPDSC) administered in conjunction with umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells from the same donor in subjects with various malignant or nonmalignant disorders potentially curable with stem cell transplantation and to assess potential restoration of normal hematopoiesis and immune function in subjects with these disorders
OBJECTIVES: I. Transfer the human glucocerebrosidase (GC) gene into peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) obtained from patients with type I Gaucher disease using a retroviral vector. II. Transplant the autologous transduced PBSC in these patients. III. Measure the carriage and expression of the transferred gene and its duration in peripheral blood leukocytes. IV. Assess the clinical effects of transplanting genetically corrected PBSC.
Previous work demonstrates that the red blood cells of older adults do not release a potent vasodilator (ATP) as well as the red blood cells of younger adults. The investigators are targeting a pathway within the red blood cell using fasudil hydrochloride to determine if both the release of ATP from red blood cells and blood flow responses to low oxygen (hypoxia) and exercise in older adults can be improved.
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder that results from a single nucleotide substitution in codon 6 of the beta-globin gene which, in the homozygous state, produces an abnormal hemoglobin that is prone to polymer formation when deoxygenated. The polymerized hemoglobin leads to impaired deformability and sickling of red blood cells which subsequently lodge in end-arterioles producing the classic and most prominent feature of the disorder, repeated vasoocclusive crises. Despite knowledge of the precise genetic defect for decades, only recently has there been therapeutic impact based upon this knowledge when a clear benefit from treatment with hydroxyurea, a cell cycle-specific agent administered to induce production of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) by stimulating gamma-globin synthesis, was reported in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The reduction in the frequency and severity of vasoocclusive crises seen has been attributed to the increase in HbF levels in responsive patients. While the majority of patients demonstrate a rise in HbF, not all such patients benefit from treatment. Given these results, alternative agents that also stimulate the production of HbF warrant investigation in the treatment of SCD. Recombinant-methionyl human stem cell factor (SCF) is a hematopoietic growth factor with activity on immature hematopoietic progenitor cells. SCF stimulates the production of HbF in vitro and in vivo, and this effect is attainable without the myelosuppression associated with hydroxyurea. In this phase I/II trial, we will administer SCF in a dose escalating fashion to patients with sickling disorders. Parameters to be measured are HbF levels, F cell levels, peripheral blood CD34 levels, frequency, duration, and severity of vasoocclusive crises, and toxicity.
Primary Objective: • To evaluate the safety and tolerability of cAd3-EBO-S and cAd3 Marburg vaccines when administered Intramuscular (IM) at a dose of 1 x 10\^11 particle units (PU) to healthy adults. Secondary Objectives: * To evaluate the antibody response to Monovalent Chimpanzee Adenoviral Vectored Filovirus Ebola-S (cAd3-EBO-S) and Monovalent Chimpanzee Adenoviral Vectored Filovirus (Marburg) (cAd3 Marburg) vaccines as assessed by antigen glycoprotein (GP) specific (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) ELISA * To collect sufficient post-vaccination plasma to support further development of filovirus assays
Background: Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is a rare blood cancer. Researchers want to see if a combination of two drugs - recombinant human interleukin 15 (rhIL-15) and alemtuzumab - is a better treatment for ATL. Objectives: To test if giving rhIL-15 combined with alemtuzumab improves the outcome of therapy for ATL. Also, to determine the safe dose of this combination and identify side effects and effects on the immune system. Eligibility: Adults 18 years and older with chronic or acute ATL who have not been helped by other treatments. Design: Participants will be screened with tests that are mostly part of their usual cancer care. They will sign a separate consent form for this. Weeks 1 and 2: Participants will have a total of 10 visits. They will: * Get rhIL-15 under the skin by needle. * Have a physical exam and vital signs measured. * Give blood samples. * Answer questions about their health and their medicines. Week 3: Participants will stay in the clinic. They will: * Get alemtuzumab infusions in a vein through a small catheter on days 1, 2, 3, and 5. * Take medicines to decrease side effects. * Have a computed tomography (CT) scan to evaluate the treatment. * Have a physical exam and vital signs measured. * Give blood samples. Answer questions about their health and medicines. Weeks 4, 5, and 6 will repeat week 3, without the CT scan. Some patients will just have outpatient visits these weeks. After treatment, participants will have follow-up visits every few months for up to 2 years. At these visits, participants will give blood samples and have CT scans.
PNEUMOSTEM® consists of ex vivo cultured allogeneic, unrelated, human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) and it is intended for use as a cellular therapy product for prevention of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD). This study is an open-label, single-center, dose escalation study to evaluate of safety and efficacy of PNEUMOSTEM® in premature infants at high risk for BPD.
This phase I trial studies the side effects of human lysozyme goat milk in preventing graft versus host disease in patients with blood cancer undergoing a donor stem cell transplant. Sometimes the transplanted cells from a donor can cause an immune response against the body's own normal cells (call graft versus host disease). The goat milk in the study is from goats that have been genetically engineered to produce human lysozyme in the milk. Human lysozyme is a natural enzyme found in human milk and acts as an antimicrobial. Lysozyme is key to the digestive health of breast-fed human infants, since it helps the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and reduces the growth of bacteria that causes diarrhea and intestinal disease. Giving human lysozyme goat milk may reduce the rate of graft versus host disease in blood cancer patients undergoing a donor stem cell transplant.
ActivSight™ combines an innovative form factor and proprietary software to deliver precise, objective, real-time visualization of blood flow and tissue perfusion intraoperatively for laparoscope-based surgery. A small adaptor that fits between any existing laparoscope and camera systems and a separate light source placed along any current commercial system will deliver objective real-time tissue perfusion and blood flow information intraoperatively. Primary Objective: To determine the feasibility of ActivSight™ in detecting and displaying tissue perfusion and blood flow in the conduit and foregut anastomoses in esophageal resection/reconstructive surgery. The investigators will compare the precision and accuracy among the naked eye inspection, ICG and LSCI in assessing the vascularity of the conduit.
The purpose of this clinical trial is to investigate the safety of human placental-derived stem cells (HPDSC) given in conjunction with umbilical cord blood (UCB) stem cells in patients with various malignant or nonmalignant disorders who require a stem cell transplant. Patients will get either full dose (high-intensity) or lower dose (low intensity) chemo- and immunotherapy followed by a stem cell transplantation with UCB and HPDSC.
This research study is being performed to begin to determine the effectiveness of two dominant bariatric surgery procedures versus an intensive lifestyle intervention to induce weight loss in patients and promote improvements in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in moderately obese patients. T2DM is currently the 6th leading cause of mortality in the United States and is a major cause of kidney failure, blindness, amputations, heart attack, and other vascular and gastro-intestinal dysfunctions. Traditionally, treatments include intensive lifestyle modifications with or without glucose lowering agents. Neither treatment alone, or in combination, results in complete resolution of diabetes and its potential long-term complications. Bariatric surgery has been proven as an effective treatment to accomplish sustained and significant weight loss for those with severe obesity and has been shown to induce long-term remission of T2DM. However, despite enthusiasm for these potential treatment options, it is not clear whether diabetes is influenced by the type of surgery or by the amount of weight lost or if bariatric surgery is more effective than non-surgical weight loss induced by diet and physical activity in T2DM patients with moderate BMIs (30-40kg/m2; Class I and Class II obesity, or approximately 65-95 pounds overweight depending on your height). More well-controlled studies are needed to more completely inform health care decision making and clinical practice in this area. This research study aims to obtain preliminary information regarding the effectiveness of two major types of bariatric surgery, Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding versus an intensive lifestyle intervention to induce weight loss with diet and increased physical activity.