Research is a key component for making new discoveries and improving the lives of people with disabilities. It can also provide participants insight and support regarding their conditions, especially when there is a gap in services. Here are a few studies that may be of interest.
Fun & Kid-Friendly Research Study
Drum up discovery in an exciting new study! Your child will complete a few different activities, including drumming, while we safely measure their brain waves. Trained lab members will put a non-invasive cap on your child’s head that will allow us to examine underlying brain activity. Your child will receive 8 weeks of drumming lessons, which will begin after the first or second visit to the lab. We are looking for participants between the ages of 7 and 12 that have been diagnosed with Down syndrome. If your child meets these requirements and you are interested in learning more about the study, please contact us at vuhandsonplaylab@gmail.com or (615) 343-1079.
Depression Medication Study
You can help with this important study examining whether an investigational medication can improve depression and memory problems in older adults with depression.
You may be able to join this study if you:
- Are 60 years old or older
- Are currently experiencing symptoms of depression
- Feel like you are thinking or moving slowly
- Are not currently taking a medication for the treatment of depression OR are willing to stop taking prescribed depression medications with the guidance of a study doctor
- Do not have a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or manic-depressive illness
- Do not have a history of alcohol or substance abuse in the last year
Study details:
This study involves 7-8 visits and 4 phone or video calls over a period 8-10 weeks, a psychiatric assessment, a physical assessment, memory testing, gait (walk) testing, one blood draw, brain scans (2 MRIs and 1 PET scan), and study medication.
In appreciation of time spent and participation in the study, participants will receive up to $925.
Interested? Please click the following link to complete a short survey, and the research team will contact you: https://redcap.vumc.org/surveys/?s=HXE88YEAEX4DYPNE
If you have additional questions, please contact:
McClain Daniel
Phone: (615) 421-8579
Email: mcclain.daniel@vumc.org
Sensory Function Study
The Multisensory Lab at Vanderbilt University needs participants!
Vanderbilt University is seeking children and young adults to participate in a study assessing sensory function across development. The work in the Multisensory Lab focuses on how individuals combine sights, sounds and touch into a single view of the world. To do this, children will engage with various stimuli in an immersive 3-D environment. Children will take part in behavioral tasks and games, and in some we will do non-invasive (EEG) brain recordings in which they wear a comfortable net on their heads.
You [your child] may be eligible to participate if you are between the ages of 0 and 21 years of age.
The study will take between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on which activities you would like to participate in. You will be asked to come back at regular 6 month intervals (your return visits are completely voluntary). Participants will receive $20 per hour of participation in the form of gift cards. The study will take place at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. Parking will be provided.
If you are interested in participating or learning more about this study, please email the research recruitment coordinator, Eliza Brandon, at elizabeth.g.brandon@vanderbilt.edu or 630-200-3916.
Hearing Aid Study
This is a research study to see how hearing aids change the way people perceive emotion. To qualify, a person must:
– Be aged 55 – 89 years
– Have normal hearing, or uses hearing aids in both ears
For people with normal hearing, testing is expected to last around 3 hours. For hearing aid users, testing is expected to last less than 6 hours in total. For this study, we will quickly check your ears for earwax and ask you some questions about yourself. Participants with normal hearing will complete testing in one visit. Participants with hearing aids will complete testing in two visits and wear study hearing aids home between the visits. During the visits, participants listen to and/or watch videos and rate the emotion.
We will pay you $30 for each lab visit and $20 for wearing the hearing aids home. There is a bonus of $40 for completing the study. Total payment is up to $120 for hearing aid users and up to $70 for participants with normal hearing.
The risks to being in the study include boredom and inconvenience. However, we will include breaks during the study to minimize boredom. In addition, there is a slight risk of loss of confidentiality, but we take many steps to protect your data, and we will never tell anyone you were in the study.
For more information, contact:
Haiping Huang at haiping.huang@vanderbilt.edu or 615-482-9861
Heart Disease in African Americans Study
You can help with this important clinical study about how inflammation in the blood vessels contributes to heart disease in African Americans.
You may be eligible to be in the study if you are: African American adult
Age 18-60
Without diabetes
- This study is conducted at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Requires a screening visit, 5 study days, taking an FDA-approved study medication for 3 months, and blood collection
- Participants will be compensated for their timeIf you would like to participate, please complete the pre-screening consent and questionnaire https://redcap.vanderbilt.edu/surveys/?s=RXC8R7EY8AF3DJM8.If you are eligible, a study team member will contact you for an in-person screening visit at the Clinical Research Center.Study Team Contact:
615-238-1936
Chaney.r.johnson@vumc.org
Pregnancy Study
Are you pregnant or looking to become pregnant in the near future? ‘Project Placenta’ is looking for soon to be moms interested in donating discarded (or left over) tissues such as placenta, umbilical cord tissues and fluids (blood) after delivery to be part of a biobank.
We would like to understand causes of diseases in women and families during pregnancy and childhood. You can help researchers to understand how pregnancy issues affect the mom and baby long after the birth and reduce the number of complications during pregnancy for future moms and babies by donating left over tissues after delivery.
Participating in this project is no cost to you and we will only obtain the tissue after you have delivered your baby, and the tissues have been removed from your room. Our study personnel will not be in the room during delivery or interfere with your medical care in any way.
For more information and details on how to consent please visit our website: https://www.vumc.org/pre3-initiative/placenta or contact Kisha Turner (615) 343-3646.
MRI Research Study
We are looking for healthy volunteers to participate in an MRI research study at Vanderbilt to help us understand the progression of neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Participants will undergo a sensorimotor testing session followed by an MRI exam. The total visit duration will be approximately 2.5-3 hours, and participants will be compensated $50 for their time.
You may be eligible for this study if:
– You are 18 years or older
– You are a healthy volunteer and have never experienced brain or spinal cord injury/disease or neurological conditions
– You do not have contraindications to MRI (e.g. metal implants, claustrophobia)
– You are available for one visit for approximately 2.5-3 hours
If you are interested in participating, please fill out our prescreening survey at the following link: https://redcap.link/jhbrx57k
You will be contacted by the study personnel if you are eligible.
Teen Study
Parents and their teens (age 14-17 years) are needed for a study of emotions and mental health. Teens and parents will be paid up to $85 for participating. Computer tasks will be completed at Vanderbilt University in the Psychology and Human Development Department. Questionnaires and interviews will be completed online through a video-conferencing platform.
To be eligible for this study, you must:
** have a teen aged 14 to 17 years
** be the legal guardian of the teen
Interested? Fill out our screening form: https://redcap.link/starcscreening
Email us at vanderbiltstarstudy@gmail.com or call 615-450-6606.
Teen Stress Study
We invite youth ages 12- through 17-years-old,
- to complete a short, online survey about their health, moods, and stress.
- The survey takes about 10 minutes.
- Participants will receive a $10 gift card.
- Youth also may have the opportunity to participate in no-cost programs aimed at increasing well-being and resilience in teens.
For more information about this Short Survey Study, please contact us directly:
Email: YMAP.VU@gmail.com
Phone (call or text): 615-669-2125
Website: www.youth-mindful-awareness-program.org
Please go to this link to complete contact information:
https://redcap.vumc.org/surveys/?s=TW4XJ89YJLECNPKT