Current Trials
Our work in CRL encompasses a broad range of research modalities. Currently, we have human surgical intervention trials, human pharmaceutical intervention trials, mice gene knock-out trials, and wet lab projects. See below for more detail
Neurocognitive Impairment Assessment in Symptomatic Carotid Occlusion Recanalized Endovascularly (NIA-SCORE)
The purpose of the project is to study the effect of recanalization of chronic carotid artery occlusion on cognition via a randomized trial using either best medical management (aspirin, clopidogrel, and statin) vs best medical management (aspirin, clopidogrel, and statin) + endovascular recanalization of the occluded ICA (or hybrid of endovascular recanalization of the occluded ICA + partial carotid endarterectomy.
1. Examine the relationship of chronically occluded ICA and cognition. This will be done by using a well-designed battery of cognitive tests.
2. Examine the correlation of imaging findings on MRI and CTP on cognition.
3. Examine whether recanalizing the chronically occluded ICA using endovascular techniques will reverse the impairment of cognition and improve it.
4. Examine whether recanalizing the chronically occluded ICA using endovascular techniques will minimize recurrent strokes and/or TIAs.
This project also has a non-randomized arm which includes chronically occluded subjects that do not meet all the inclusion/exclusion criteria.
Click here to see more information about the trial
Click here if you would like to learn more or participate in the trial
Deferiprone for Ruptured Brain Aneurysm (CSF Ferritin/ U-DISCO)
The purpose of this project is to study the effect of an iron chelator in subjects with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) via a randomized trial using Deferiprone (oral chelating agent, "De") + standard of care vs standard of care + placebo in patient with SAH to:
1) Assess the level of ferritin (Ft) in CSF (CSF withdrawn from ventriculostomy tube)
2) Assess functional outcomes measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score, a score used to assess the level of dementia, mainly in Alzheimer disease patients.
3) To quantify the total iron deposition in the brain based on MRI
Click here to see more information about this trial
Click here if you would like to learn more or participate in the trial
Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety of Continuous IV Tirofiban in Acute Ischemic Stroke (iTREMT)
The purpose of this project is to study the effects of intravenous Tirofiban Hydrochloride (AGGRASTAT) in subjects after acute ischemic changes via a randomized trial using AGGRASTAT + standard of care vs standard of care + placebo to:
1) to assess the safety of using continues infusion of intravenous Tirofiban for 24 hours post mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in the setting of acute ischemic changes
2) to assess the efficacy of using continues infusion of intravenous Tirofiban for 24 hours post mechanical thrombectomy to improve flow and reperfusion in areas whereby the MT was unable to
We propose that continues infusion of intravenous Tirofiban for 24 hours post MT will dissolve and lyse these distal migrated fragments of the clot.
Click here to see more information about this trial
Minimally Invasive Recording
The purpose of this project is to determine if the Woven EndoBridge (WEB) Aneurysm Embolization System can be used as a means of recoding brain activity, similar to that of an electrode.
Aims include:
1) Determine if it is feasible to record electrical activity of the brain via the WEB device in human
2) Determine the function of some deep brain structures, including the Gyrus Rectus
This is to confirm that validity of the findings reported by Wong et al. in 2016 and to expand on their findings. To read their paper click here
WEB Cerebral Stimulation
The purpose of this project is to determine if Woven EndoBridge (WEB) Aneurysm Embolization System can be used to stimulate the brain and lower systolic blood pressure (SBP).
Primary hypothesis: it is safe and feasible to modulate SBP using transarterial stimulation of Brodmann's Area 25 using WEB and/or intracranial stent.
To test this hypothesis, we will pursue the following aims:
1. Identify the optimal and effective stimulation parameters to be used to stimulate Brodmann's Area 25 and lower SBP.
2. Test the efficacy of these simulation parameters in lowering SBP in a larger cohort using the same subjects as in aim 1.
3. Delineate whether laterality of Brodmann's Area 25 could play a role in modulating SBP
Aneurysm Formation and Rupture in Mice
15-Hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (15-PGDH) plays an essential role in aneurysm formation. Our lab has established PGDH gene knockout mice-associated models and experiments. We want to further understand the pathophysiology of cerebral aneurysms.