Healthy Paid Clinical Trials in Maryland

Background: Urothelial cancer is cancer of the bladder, ureter, and urethra. Researchers want to better understand what changes in a person s cells and genes cause this cancer to form. This may help them find new ways to treat it. Objective: - To perform DNA sequencing to help researchers learn the differences between normal tissue and tumor tissue. Also, to learn how molecular changes - including gene changes - might help predict the course of disease and how people respond to therapy. Eligibility: - Adults age 18 and older who have or are suspected of having urothelial cancer or an inherited disorder that raises their risk of getting bladder cancer. Design: Participants will be screened with a physical exam. Their medical records and tissue samples will be reviewed. Eligible participants will give tissue blocks of their original tumor. The blocks will be put in a tissue bank. Participants medical records may be reviewed. Participants may have a medical history and physical exam. Participants may have blood and urine tests. They may have imaging scans. They may give urine, blood, and saliva samples. These samples may be used in future research. If participants need surgery for their cancer, researchers will keep some of the tissue (both tumor and normal tissue). The tissue may be used in future research. Participants will go back to the Clinical Center in 6 months. They may give saliva, urine, and blood samples. After 6 months, they will be seen by their local doctor for standard post-surgical visits. Participants will be called every 6 months to give health updates. Read Less

Background: Diseases involving blood, blood vessels, and immune systems are leading causes of death in the United States. Researchers studying these diseases need to compare blood samples from both healthy and sick individuals. Blood samples from healthy people are also used to establish what is normal when developing new tests for diseases and to make sure new testing equipment is working properly. Objective: This natural history study will collect blood samples from healthy people. The blood will be used for various kinds of research. Eligibility: Healthy adults aged 18 years or older. Pregnant or nursing women will be excluded. Design: Participants will have a telehealth visit or telephone call to review their medical history. They will come to the NIH Clinical Center. They will have a needle inserted into a vein in their arm or hand. About 10 tablespoons of blood will be drawn through the needle. Researchers may perform a complete blood count, a type of blood test that can help evaluate the participant s overall health. They may do a blood type test. The blood samples will also be used for genetic studies. Some blood samples may be stored for use in future research. Participants may choose to return for repeat visits for up to 10 years. Review of their medical history may also be repeated at later visits. They will receive $50 per blood collection visit. ... Read Less

In this study, we aim to develop and validate a noninvasive approach for quantifying and imaging energy metabolism, without contrast agents, on widely available clinical MRI scanners. Briefly, this technique allows specific and selective imaging of the energy metabolite phosphocreatine (PCr), in vivo and non-invasively. PCr is one of the predominant high-energy phosphates present in brain and muscle and one that is altered by common diseases. Although energy metabolism and PCr play a vital role in cellular homeostasis, there currently are no routine diagnostic tests to noninvasively quantify or map the distribution of PCr with clinically acceptable spatial resolution or/and scan time. Here, we demonstrate that the exchangeable guanidinium protons of millimolar concentration PCr can be exploited to detect it via the water signal in MRI with greatly enhanced sensitivity (molar signal) using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI, and its concentration can be quantified using an artificial neural network (ANN). This new technique, dubbed ANNCEST, allowed us to obtain a high-resolution PCr map on human skeletal muscle within 1.5 min, on a 3T clinical MRI scanner equipped with just the standard MRI setup. To put this in a larger perspective, energy metabolism is critical for cell viability and is altered by many common acquired and inherited diseases. ANNCEST is arguably the first to use widely available MRI scanners to noninvasively image tissue energy metabolism of PCr, and thus would have appeal to a broad readership of scientists and clinicians interested in neurology, muscular dystrophies and myopathies as well as cardiology, to name a few. Read Less

Cancer produces a significant burden on society with a majority diagnosed at late stages when the chance of cure is low. Early diagnosis improves patient outcomes. Data consisting of lifestyle factors, medications, physical activity, years before conventional cancer diagnosis is also worthwhile for to determine early detection. This is only achievable with longitudinal tracking of a large number of healthy individuals and identifying those who do develop cancer over time. Read Less

Background: This study is designed to provide samples to help us study the genes your blood cells are making as well as the proteins, sugars, fats, vitamins and other metabolites found in your blood or urine. Blood samples may also be collected to make special cells. These are called induced pluripotent stem cells or iPSCs. Pluripotent stem cells are cells that can be converted into any type of cell. Researchers want to study in the lab iPSCs that are derived from blood samples. Objective: To collect samples to help study genes, proteins, sugars, fats, vitamins, and other metabolites found in blood or urine. Eligibility: Healthy volunteers and patients ages 18 and older Design: First-time research study participants at NIH will have an initial visit for this study that should last no more than 1 hour. All other visits should last 20 30 minutes. Participants will undergo a limited history and physical exam. Participants may have routine blood and urine tests. If participants are giving a blood sample, they must have a hemoglobin level checked in the past 12 months to make sure it is safe for them to give a blood sample for research. Participants may have a venous blood collection. They may do this at several visits. They will lie on a recliner or couch or sit in a chair. A needle will be placed into a vein in the hand or arm, using sterile techniques. Blood will be withdrawn into multiple syringes or tubes. Participants may be asked to provide urine in an appropriate container... Read Less

Background: The microbiome is the bacteria and other microorganisms that live inside and on the body. The microbiome is important for our health. Researchers study how the microbiome help people stay healthy. They study how the microbiome affects the body when people get sick. To do this research, they need samples of the microbiome living on the bodies of many people. The purpose of this natural history study is to collect microbiome samples in a repository. These samples will be used for future research. Objective: To collect microbiome samples from the body that can be used for future research. Eligibility: People of any age. Only those older than 3 years will be seen at the NIH clinic. Design: Participants will fill out a questionnaire. Topics will include their medical history and foods they eat. Participants will be asked to give 1 or more of the following: Stool, urine, saliva, vaginal fluid, and breastmilk. These samples can be collected at home and sent to the researchers. Cells from participants cheek, nose, mouth, skin, rectum, and/or vagina. The cells may be collected by rubbing the area with a sterile cotton swab. These procedures can also be done at home. Blood. Blood may be drawn using a needle inserted into a vein in the arm. For young children, blood may be collected by a prick on the heel or finger. Intestinal tissue samples. These may be collected from participants who are having an endoscopy or colonoscopy for other reasons. Skin tissue samples. These may be collected from participants who are having biopsies for other reasons. Read Less

Background: Inflammation in the brain plays a role in many diseases. Being able to measure inflammation in a person s brain might help to diagnose and treat these diseases. One protein (TSPO) appears in higher numbers when inflammation affects the brain. To see TSPO when a person s body is scanned, researchers need a substance called a radiotracer that will attach to this protein and no other molecules. Objective: This study will test whether a new radiotracer ([18F]SF12051) can make TSPO appear on PET scans of a person s brain and body. Eligibility: Healthy people aged 18 and older. Design: This study requires 2 to 4 visits to the clinic. All participants will be screened. They will have a physical exam. They will have blood tests and a test of their heart function. Some participants will have a positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the whole body. The radiotracer will be injected through a tube (catheter) placed in a vein in the arm. The PET scanner is a machine shaped like a doughnut. Participants will lie on a bed that slides in and out of the scanner. The scan will take about 2 hours. Some participants will have a PET scan of just their head. After they are injected with the radiotracer, they will lie on a bed with their head in the scanner. Blood will be drawn from a catheter in the wrist during the scan. Some participants will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. They will lie on a narrow bed that slides into a tube. ... Read Less

Increased numbers of white blood cells called eosinophils can cause disease. To investigate this disease, researchers need blood, urine, sputum, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, skin and/or bone marrow samples to compare to samples from patients with this problem. Some of the samples will be used for genetic testing or future research. This study will last for about 10 years and will include a maximum of 50 paid volunteers ages 18 to 65. Read Less

The Hematology Branch of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute is doing a variety of laboratory research experiments that require blood and tissue samples from healthy volunteers. This protocol provides a mechanism for collecting these tissue samples. Research includes studies of normal and abnormal formation of blood cells, viral blood diseases, the role of the immune system in marrow failure and genetic risk factors for aplastic anemia. Healthy normal volunteers 8 years of age and older may be eligible for this study. Samples are collected as follows: Blood samples: Participants 8 years of age and older donate up to 4 tablespoons of blood, which is obtained from a needle placed in an arm vein. Participants 8 years of age and older donate a buccal mucosa sample (cells from the inside of the cheek). The inside of the cheek is scraped gently with a nylon brush. Participants 18 years of age and older donate a bone marrow sample. The bone marrow is obtained from the hip bone. The skin over the area is wiped clean with alcohol and iodine, and then a local anesthetic is injected under the skin and also into the bone. When the area is numb, a bone marrow aspiration needle is introduced through the bone surface into the marrow. The marrow cells are collected using a syringe connected to the needle. Read Less

Sub-Study: Phase Triggered Paired Associative Stimulation (PAS) (actively recruiting) Background: -Previous research has shown that the brain s activity changes with changes in brain waves. We can study brain activity with a procedure called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a form of non-invasive brain stimulation. EEG allows for measuring ongoing brain waves. The goal of this study is to optimize TMS delivery by utilizing EEG-triggered TMS. Objectives: -To see if changes in brain waves change the brain and body s response to TMS. Eligibility: -Healthy, right-handed adults age 18-35. Design: Participants will be screened under another protocol with medical history and physical exam. They may take a pregnancy test. They will have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. For MRI, participants lie on a table that slides in and out of a metal tube that takes pictures. with: Participants will have up to 4 outpatient visits lasting 2-3 hours each (4 outpatient visits). The following procedures may occur at a visit: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): Participants lie on a table that slides into a machine that takes pictures of the brain. Electroencephalography (EEG): Small electrodes on the scalp record brain waves. Electromyography (EMG): Small sticky electrodes on the skin measure muscle activity. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS): A wire coil is held to the scalp. A brief electrical current passes through the coil and affects brain activity. Main Study: Influence on Plasticity of Brain Temperature (no longer recruiting) Background: - Brain activity changes with changes in body temperature. Brain activity can be studied with a procedure called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Researchers want to cool the brain through the scalp using a cooling cap. They want to see if cooling changes the brain and body s response to TMS. Objectives: - To look at the effects of cooling on the brain. Eligibility: - Right-handed adults age 18-50 who can abstain from caffeine and tobacco. Design: Participants will be screened with medical history and physical exam. They will be asked about alcohol use, smoking, and substance abuse. They may take a pregnancy test. They may have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain. For MRI, participants lie on a table that slides in and out of a metal tube that takes pictures. Participants will have 3 outpatient visits. The following procedures will occur at each visit. Participants will wear a cooling cap for up to 45 minutes. Cool water will flow through the cap. It will feel like an ice pack in a towel. Their core temperature will be monitored. Their temperature will also be measured under their tongue and on scalp, stomach, forearm, and calf. Participants will have TMS before and after wearing the cap. A brief electrical current will pass through a wire coil held on their scalp. Electrodes that detect muscle movement will be placed on their hand. They will also have repetitive TMS, which uses repeated magnetic pulses. Their wrist will also receive a shock. Read Less

The goal of this controlled feeding trial is to learn about the metabolism of polyphenols, a common class of compounds found in plant-based foods, by the gut microbiome. It will evaluate how differences in gut bacteria across individuals influence metabolism of polyphenols from foods, which may influence health benefits that people receive from different foods. Read Less

The investigators aim to compare the effects of a 6-month moderate intensity exercise training (ET) intervention to a low intensity flexibility exercise control condition (FC) on brain function, cognition, and physical function in cognitively healthy and physically inactive older adults (ages 60-80). Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 (APOE-ε4) allele carriers are known to be at substantially greater risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cognitively intact APOE-ε4 allele carriers, and non-carriers, will be randomly assigned to 6-months of either supervised moderate intensity aerobic exercise training (ET) or supervised flexibility exercise control (FC). The ET and FC each contain a group based exercise component and are run in local retirement communities near College Park, MD, or on the University of Maryland College Park campus. The primary aims of the study are to compare pre-intervention to post-intervention changes in episodic memory performance and MRI biomarkers. Read Less