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Clinical Research Studies at NCRC

What are clinical research studies and why they are necessary?

Clinical research studies involve the voluntary participation of human participants, under regulatory oversight and informed consent. There are different types of clinical research studies: clinical trials (or interventional studies) and observational studies. Clinical research studies are important because they add to generalizable medical knowledge and may lead to the development of new ways to improve health or to prevent, diagnose, or treat medical conditions. Clinical research studies may impact future generations.
 
A lead physician-scientist also called a principal investigator oversees each clinical research study along with a trained and qualified support team.

How can I take part in a study? 

If you are interested in participating in a clinical research study, the study team will provide you with precise information about the purpose and course of the study. If you decide to participate, your participation is voluntary. You can withdraw your consent at any time.
 
Some studies are done online, while others involve one or more study visits (appointments). Some studies offer compensation.

View a list of studies currently enrolling at the North Carolina Research Campus.

Join a Clinical Research Study

All of Us North Carolina

UNC Nutrition Research Institute

North Carolinians, we need your help. Medical research hasn’t always seen you. We’re changing that. We are working with the All of Us Research Program, from the National Institutes of Health, to help speed up health research.

All of Us is looking for participants in Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, and surrounding areas. We hope that at least one million people will join from across the U.S. People who join will share information about their health, habits, what it’s like where they live, and if they will want information about their DNA. By looking for patterns in this information, researchers may learn more about what affects people’s health. Your participation is a legacy for future generations.

Compensation: N/A

Eligibility:

  • Adults 18 and over living in the US

Participate:

Learn more or sign up online at joinallofus.org/north-carolina
Email us at  allofus_unc@unc.edu or call (800) 561-0315.

Food as Medicine

Standard Process

We are interested in looking at the effects of consumption of study nutritional formulations on heart and gut health.

Compensation:
Eligible participants will be compensated up to $1050.

Eligibility:

  • Men and women between the ages of 30-75 years on omnivorous diet (regular consumption of eggs, red meat, dairy) with marginally elevated TMAO levels (>9.9 uM).

Click here for more information.

Participate:
Email us or call (262) 495-6410 to learn more. 

Metabotypes of Dietary Compounds Study

North Carolina A&T State University

The Metabotypes of dietary compounds influenced by human gut microbiota will help researchers better understand how food plays an important part in our health and how the food is broken down after being eaten.

Compensation:
All eligible participants will be financially compensated.

Eligibility:

  • Between 18-65 years old
  • Willing to complete a 5-day food diary
  • Willing to provide a stool sample

Participate:
Email us or call (704) 250-5798 to learn more. 

Infant Nutrition and Cognitive Study

UNC Nutrition Research Institute – Cheatham Nutrition and Cognition Lab

The Infant Nutrition and Cognitive Study is to determine if eating eggs during breastfeeding will increase nutrients important for brain development in the milk and subsequently, improve infant cognition.

Compensation:
Eligible participants will be compensated up to $225.

Eligibility:

  • Healthy lactating women at 12-15 weeks postpartum with babies who were born at 38 weeks or after

Participate:
Email the Cheatham Nutrition and Coginitive Lab or call (704) 250-5018 to learn more.

HONOR Study

UNC Nutrition Research Institute – Goode Lab

The HONOR Study is currently seeking providers of diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) to Black adults with type 2 diabetes for a 60 minute virtual interview.

Compensation:
Providers will be compensated $100 for their participation.

Eligibility:

  • Provide DSMES
  • Treat patients who identify as Black adults with type 2 diabetes
  • We want your perspective on factors that influence your patients’ eating behaviors and patterns

Participate:
Call (704) 250-5093 or email LFLstudies@unc.edu or visit https://bit.ly/providerscreener

Fecal Metabolome of African Americans Study

North Carolina A&T State University

The Fecal Metabolome of African Americans Study will help researchers better understand how food plays an important part in our health and how the food is broken down after being eaten.

Compensation:
All eligible participants will be financially compensated.

Eligibility:

  • Between 18-65 years old
  • BMI between 18-25 or 30-40
  • African American descent

Participate:
Email sanglabncat.com or call (704) 250-5798 to learn more.

Children’s Health Study

UNC Nutrition Research Institute – Voruganti Lab

The Children’s Health Study is to identify genes and lifestyle factors that affect children’s health status and overall well-being.

Compensation:
All eligible participants will be financially compensated.

Eligibility:

  • Kids and teens ages 5-19 and their parents
  • Located in Cabarrus and neighboring counties

Participate:
Email vorugantiresearch@unc.edu or call (704) 250-5055 to learn more.

The Agile Study

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are studying innovative ways to promote healthy eating and physical activity in young adults using a smartphone app and digital health tools. We are seeking volunteers to enroll in a 6-month research study that tests a smartphone-delivered weight loss program designed specifically for young adults.

Compensation: N/A

Eligibility:

  • Currently age 18-39
  • Have a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 45 (use the calculator here to compute your BMI
  • Are interested in following a program to support you in building healthy eating and activity habits to help you manage your weight
  • Own a smartphone with data and text messaging plan

Participate:
Additional eligibility criteria apply. More information about the study can be found at www.joinagile.org.

Find out if you are eligible here.

This study (IRB #20-0765) was approved by the UNC-CH Institutional Review Board on 7/26/22.

Duke Volunteer Registry

Duke University – Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute

The Duke Volunteer Registry is for people who would like to join future research studies. We will use your health information to help determine whether you may be eligible for future research studies. We will contact you about studies you may be able to join.

Compensation: There is no compensation for joining the registry.

Eligibility:

  • Age 18 or older
  • Valid email address
  • We need both healthy volunteers and people with medical conditions

Participate:
Email the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute or call (704) 273-5456 to learn more.

PREVENTABLE Study

Duke University – Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Could taking a commonly used heart medication prevent dementia? By taking part in the PREVENTABLE Study, you could help us learn if taking a statin is helpful to preserve cognitive function in older adults.

Compensation:
All eligible participants will be financially compensated.

Eligibility:

  •  Age 75 or older
  • Not taking a statin
  • Do not have heart disease (heart attack or stroke)
  • Do not have dementia

Participate:
Email the Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute or call (704) 273-5456 to learn more.

Enrollment Closed

 

APOL1 Study

Duke University – Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute

The APOL1 Study will help researchers better understand why people of African ancestry are four times more likely to develop kidney disease than Caucasians.

PROMOTE Study

Duke University – Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute

The PROMOTE Study is about Type 2 diabetes and will see whether a test product can improve insulin sensitivity.

Fish Oil Supplement Study

UNC Nutrition Research Institute – Human Research Core

The Fish Oil Supplement Study is to evaluate the effect of a fish oil supplement on human health.

Satisfy Study

UNC Nutrition Research Institute – Rachel Goode Lab

Researchers at the School of Social Work and the Nutrition Research Institute, UNC-CH are conducting a 6-month research study where participants will learn how to self-monitor their episodes of hunger and fullness and improve their eating behaviors.

Fructose-Liver Fat Study

UNC Nutrition Research Institute – Voruganti Lab

The Fructose-Liver Fat Study is to identify genetic and dietary factors that affect the risk for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Transitions Low Back Pain Study

Duke University – Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute

The Transitions Low Back Pain study will look at how acute back pain may transition to chronic back pain.