Our laboratory is working to find mutations in genes that may cause severe infectious diseases. We will draw blood and obtain a skin biopsy sample from healthy volunteers in order to support research studies being conducted in the Casanova Lab of Human Genetics of Infectious Diseases. We will perform experiments to test the mutations that we find in patients with severe bacterial viral fungal and other illnesses. The samples collected from healthy volunteers will be compared to those taken from patients with severe infectious diseases. Blood samples will be used as controls for but not limited to the following: for activation production of cytokines molecular expression cellular differentiation of either whole blood or just the white blood cells (leukocytes). A skin biopsy (up to 6mm) will be obtained and will be used to generate fibroblast and keratinocyte cultures. Fibroblasts and keratinocytes may be immortalized and used as controls for but not limited to the following: stimulation of cytokine production protein expression and response to infection with viruses and bacteria. The fibroblasts may also be reprogrammed to become stem cells from which we will derive cells of the central nervous system and the lung for research studies. Some experiments including single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) require fresh skin tissue. A 6mm biopsy will enable us to conduct multiple techniques in parallel including imaging studies (i.e. hyperion) and scRNAseq on the same individual and the same tissue site. Imaging studies will allow us to characterize the cellular architecture of the tissue and scRNAseq to establish the characteristics of the stratified epithelium (i.e. basal and differentiated keratinocytes) and to define which is the target cell of the pathogen in infected individuals vs. healthy controls. This tissue-based approach enables us to compare the interaction of the cells in the tissue in healthy controls vs. individuals with infectious diseases to better understand the pathophysiology of the disease.

Type: Observational

open study

This is a randomized control trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous (non-invasive) spinal cord stimulation on gait and balance function for individuals with hemiplegia due to stroke.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Aug 2018

open study

The purpose of this research study is to (1) provide access to fenfluramine for patients with intractable epilepsy associated with Dravet syndrome, and (2) evaluate the safety of fenfluramine.

Type: Expanded Access

open study

An open-label, phase I, multi-center study to determine in relapsed/refractory (r/r) acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients the recommended dose of CYAD-02 after a non-myeloablative preconditioning chemotherapy followed by a potential CYAD-02 consolidation cycle for non-progressive patient. A maximum of 27 r/r AML/MDS patients will be evaluated in this study in case of no dose limiting toxicity (DLT) and no replacement of patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2019

open study

Non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder (Non-24) is a condition experienced primarily by totally blind individuals that results in abnormal night sleep patterns and chronic daytime sleepiness. This is a research protocol to develop a patient registry of subjects who may suffer from Non-24 and who are blind. Subjects participate in the study through a phone survey. This registry will be used to better understand, sleep related problems in blind individuals, including the investigation of a potential treatment, recruitment for future clinical studies, and to provide a forum for raising awareness about Non-24. The survey consists of questions regarding the degree of vision impairment and sleep problems that the subjects may be experiencing.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Apr 2010

open study

This is a prospective study, involving contacting potential plasma donors and the use of their plasma to help fight off infections of those suffering from COVID19 in accordance to collection guidelines for plasma and FDA IND requirement. This study will include up to 240 participants potentially receiving convalescent plasma and up to 1000 potential donors. There are 3 basic arms to the study: mild, moderate and severe/critical severity. All 3 severity groups are eligible for enrollment, but mild severity will not be given plasma unless there is progression. Moderate severity will given up to 1 unit of plasma and severe/critical severity up to 2 units. There is no placebo group, however given the excepted issues of shortages of plasma, intention to treat will be used for analysis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2020

open study

Sarcoidosis is a multi-system granulomatous disorder that is triggered and influenced by gene-environment interactions. Although sarcoidosis predominantly affects the lungs in most cases, the clinical disease course is highly variable and any organ can be affected leading to end organ damage despite currently available therapeutics that unfortunately also have numerous and potentially devastating side effects. The environmental triggers of sarcoidosis are unknown but several occupational, environmental and infectious agents have been associated with sarcoidosis in susceptible hosts. Exposure to these triggers result in inflammation, characterized by activation of CD4+ T-cells, cytokine production, subsequent recruitment of other immune cells, and granuloma formation. Although several genetic markers have been associated with sarcoidosis, none fully explain individual susceptibility or clinical course variability, strongly implicating the environment and epigenetics. We have the ability to generate a map of the epigenetic histone modifications in immune cells via Chromatin Immuno-Precipitation coupled with next generation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and a map of transcriptome profiles via RNA-seq. The availability of histone and transcriptional signatures defining T cell activity in sarcoidosis will help identify the specific molecular programs affected by disease processes and can become the basis for future discovery of novel biomarker diagnostics in a clinical setting.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2016

open study

Enstilar in combination with Taltz for plaque psoriasis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2020

open study

Patient with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis will receive Ilumya with or without Halog ointment.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Apr 2020

open study

The objective of this trial is to assess the safety and effectiveness of the study device in subjects with degenerative mitral valve disease receiving a mitral valve repair without cardiopulmonary bypass (treatment group) when compared to subjects receiving mitral valve repair using standard surgical techniques with cardiopulmonary bypass (control group).

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2016

open study

The purpose of this study is to develop a multi-modal protocol for pain management after TURP that minimizes opioid use. The investigators hypothesize this approach will provide non-inferior pain control to the current standard of care which includes opioids as the primary agent. The investigators believe this is an important step in reducing the opioid epidemic in surgical patients.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Dec 2017

open study

A number of drugs used in the perioperative period may cause prolongation of the QT interval on the electrocardiogram (EKG). These drugs include inhalational agents, antiemetic agents, pain medications, and drugs used to reverse the effects of muscle relaxants. Approximately 80% of patients undergoing a general anesthetic will demonstrate significant prolongation of the QT interval on the EKG in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) following surgery. The concern with QT interval prolongation is that it can result in a potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmia termed torsade des pointes. Despite the concurrent use of several of these medications in a typical general anesthetic, torsade des pointes is a rare event in the perioperative period. In the past decade, the use of intravenous methadone as part of a balanced anesthetic technique has increased significantly. A single dose provided at induction of anesthesia can provide prolonged (24-48 hours) relief from pain. Studies in patients receiving long-term treatment with methadone for addiction therapy or chronic pain have revealed that these patients are at risk for QT prolongation, torsade des pointe, and cardiac death. However, the effect of a single intravenous dose of methadone used in the operating room on the QT interval is uncertain. The aim of this randomized clinical trial is to compare the impact of methadone, when compared to the more commonly-used opioid hydromorphone, on QT prolongation measured with a 12-lead EKG in the PACU and on postoperative day 1. We hypothesize that methadone will not result in significant QT prolongation when used as part of a standardized general anesthetic.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: May 2018

open study

This is a 52 week, 20-patient open-label pilot study on the safety and efficacy of Next Science Wound gel in the treatment of mild to moderate Distal Subungual Onychomycosis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2019

open study

The object of this study is to longitudinally collect clinical outcomes of patients receiving deep brain stimulation for movement disorders with the objective of making retrospective comparisons and tracking of risks, benefits, and complications.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2011

open study

This prospective, analytic observational study will investigate alcohol recidivism in patients with alcoholic liver disease. All adult subjects presenting with alcoholic liver disease are considered for inclusion. Subjects able to give consent are included.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Nov 2016

open study

Surgery is currently the only potentially curative treatment modality for localized retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS). Available studies regarding oncologic outcomes are mainly retrospective in nature, and RPS are recognized as a rare disease. Therefore, prospective analysis of high quality data is a top priority. Primary Objectives of this study are: - to prospectively collect standardized clinical data and radiological and pathological material from primary RPS patients treated with surgery at reference centers. - patient outcome will be evaluated in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), crude cumulative incidence (CCI) of local recurrence (LR) and distant metastasis (DM). Secondary Objectives: - to estimate the efficacy and safety of surgical treatment, including extended surgical approach to primary RPS; - to prospectively evaluate the impact of multimodality therapy, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy; - to identify clinical, radiological and pathological characteristics that may influence the oncological outcome or may be used as predictors of LR/DM/OS. These may be important biomarkers of disease; - to utilize collected pathological material for research collaborations.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Sep 2016

open study

4 weeks of adjunctive therapy of Enstilar® QD followed by 12 weeks QOD to patients with 2-10% BSA who are receiving etanercept or adalimumab for at least 24 weeks

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jan 2019

open study

A single center study of 30 patient receiving Narrowband UVB phototherapy three times weekly for 12 weeks. Patients will be evaluated through week 36 to evaluate maintenance of response.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Nov 2017

open study

International Pachyonychia Congenita Research Registry (IPCRR) is a patient registry for those suffering from Pachyonychia Congenita (PC). PC is an ultra-rare extremely painful skin disorder that causes painful blisters and callus on feet and sometimes hands, thickened nails, cysts and other features. The IPCRR consists of a questionnaire, patient photos, optional physician notes from telephone consultation to validate questionnaire and free genetic testing.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Apr 2004

open study

This database will be used to better understand the sleep problems of people with SMS. This clinical database will be a part of a larger Smith-Magenis Patient Registry used to create an awareness campaign around SMS and the sleep disturbances that are characteristic of the disorder.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Jan 2016

open study

This study is an investigation of the neurologic, immunologic, and rheumatologic markers of Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). PANS is a condition characterized by the abrupt, dramatic onset of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or eating restriction accompanied by equally abrupt and severe co-morbid neuropsychiatric symptoms, which include anxiety, emotional lability, depression, irritability, aggression, oppositionality, deterioration in school performance, behavioral (developmental) regression, sensory amplification, movement abnormalities, sleep disturbance, and urinary frequency. PANS is thought to be caused by infection, inflammation, or alternate triggers that is associated with a brain response that leads to these symptoms. The purpose of this study is to examine specific neurologic, immunologic, rheumatologic, and genomic, components in children with the acute-onset of psychiatric symptoms. This research may begin to uncover a much larger story of autoimmune processes that are involved in psychiatric disorders of childhood. By better understanding the etiologic components of psychiatric phenomenon, future treatments may be better targeted to underlying causes.

Type: Observational

Start Date: Mar 2013

open study

The IRIS™ Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight) is the nation's first comprehensive eye disease clinical registry. The American Academy of Ophthalmology is developing it as part of the profession's shared goal of continual improvement in the delivery of eye care.The IRIS Registry will be a centralized system for ophthalmology practices to promote practice innovations and achieve clinical excellence.

Type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Start Date: Mar 2014

open study

The purpose of this study is to conduct a Phase I - II clinical trial to extend preclinical studies involving in situ HSV-tk + Valacyclovir gene therapy in combination with brachytherapy for recurrent prostate cancer. This will provide a novel therapeutic approach to prostate cancer and hopefully impact on the development of metastatic disease and the control of preexisting metastasis.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jun 2007

open study

In the setting of radiotherapy as part of breast-conservation therapy for patients with early stage breast cancer, the novel planning and delivery method of intensity modulated radiotherapy is an effective and safe alternative to the commonly-used standard 3D-conformal external beam radiotherapy, spares more normal breast and lung tissue, and may lead to improved clinical outcomes.

Type: Interventional

Start Date: Jul 2009

open study

Establish the efficacy of initial high frequency loading of intravitreal pegaptanib bi-weekly during the initial treatment period when the VEGF levels are the greatest and then gradually extending the administration frequency to monthly as homeostasis ensues for the treatment of DME, as measured by best-corrected visual acuity.

Type: Expanded Access

open study