UChicago Medicine conducts hundreds of clinical trials every year. Learn more about all UChicago Medicine clinical trials here: Find a Clinical Trial
By participating in a clinical trial, you help make a difference in the lives of all patients.
Clinical Trials
Advancing neurosurgical care through innovative clinical research
Clinical trials are a vital part of the Department of Neurological Surgery's mission to advance neurological care through scientific discovery and clinical innovation. At UChicago Medicine, investigators within our Neurovascular Surgery, Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, NeuroOncology, and Spine Surgery sections lead studies evaluating novel therapies, medical devices, and surgical techniques for complex neurological conditions. These efforts are strengthened through close multidisciplinary collaborations with experts in Neurology, Radiology, and other specialties, enabling comprehensive approaches to research, diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. Through partnerships with academic institutions, industry leaders, and national research networks, eligible patients have access to emerging therapies and research opportunities that may not be widely available elsewhere. By integrating groundbreaking research with expert clinical care, our teams are working to translate promising discoveries into meaningful advances that improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.
Clinical trials are carefully designed research studies that evaluate new drugs, medical devices, surgical techniques, or new ways of using existing treatments. These studies help determine whether new approaches are safe and effective and can lead to better outcomes for patients.
The Department of Neurological Surgery offers a range of clinical trials focused on advancing treatment options across its specialized sections, including:
- Neurovascular Surgery
- NeuroOncology
- Functional and Stereotactic Surgery
- Spine Surgery
Clinical trials are available to people of all ages, genders, races, and ethnic backgrounds. As a potential clinical trial subject, you may be asked if you're willing to participate in a clinical trial that is specific to your health needs or diagnosis.
By participating in a clinical trial, you may:
- Gain access to promising investigational therapies and technologies
- Receive care from leading neurosurgical specialists and researchers
- Help advance the understanding and treatment of neurological disease
- Contribute to discoveries that may improve care for future patients
Participation in clinical research is always voluntary.
Current Clinical Trials
The Department of Neurological Surgery offers clinical trials across a range of neurological conditions. Browse our active studies below to learn more about ongoing research opportunities and eligibility requirements:
| Title | Proximal Internal Carotid Artery Acute Stroke Secondary to Tandem or Local Occlusion Thrombectomy Trial (PICASSO) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Mercy Health Ohio |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05611242 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Comparison of Anti-coagulation and Anti-Platelet Therapies for Intracranial Vascular Atherostenosis- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CAPTIVA-MRI) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Yale University |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05907629 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | SEAL™IT: Saccular Endovascular Aneurysm Lattice System Interventional Pivotal Trial (SEAL™IT) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Cell Therapy, LLC |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05831202 |
| Current Protocol Status | Closed to Accrual |
| Title | US IDE Study of the Contour NEurovasCular System™ for IntraCranial Aneurysm Repair (NECC) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Cerus Endovascular, Inc. |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT04852783 |
| Current Protocol Status | Closed to Accrual |
| Title | Millipede AspiRation for Revascularization in Stroke (MARRS) Study (MARRS) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Perfuze |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05714501 |
| Current Protocol Status | Completed |
| Title | The Artisse™ Intrasaccular Device is Indicated for the Treatment of Wide-neck Bifurcating Intracranial Aneurysms (IAs). (ARTISSE) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Medtronic |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT02998229 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Medical Management With Endovascular Thrombectomy Versus Medical Management Alone in Patients Presenting Beyond 24 Hours of Last Known Well (SELECT LATE) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT07115940 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Vivistim Registry for Paired VNS Therapy (GRASP) (GRASP) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | MicroTransponder Inc. |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05301140 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | StrokeNet Thrombectomy Endovascular Platform (STEP) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Tareq Kass-Hout, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Medical University of South Carolina |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT06289985 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | REMASTer: REcurrent Brain Metastases After SRS Trial |
| Site Principal Investigator | Peter C. Warnke, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Monteris Medical |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05124912 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Comparing the Addition of Radiation Either Before or After Surgery for Patients With Brain Metastases |
| Site Principal Investigator | Sean Polster, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | NRG Oncology |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05438212 |
| Current Protocol Status | Closed to Accrual |
| Title | Testing the Addition of an Anti-Cancer Drug, Triapine, to the Usual Radiation Therapy for Recurrent Glioblastoma or Astrocytoma |
| Site Principal Investigator | Lauren Singer, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | National Cancer Institute (NCI) |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT06860594 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Testing the Addition of an Anti-cancer Drug, Selinexor, to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment (Temozolomide) for Brain Tumors That Have Returned After Previous Treatment |
| Site Principal Investigator | Lauren Singer, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | NCI Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN) |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05432804 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Study of Acetazolamide With Temozolomide in Adults With Newly Diagnosed or Recurrent Malignant Glioma |
| Site Principal Investigator | Bakhtiar Yamini, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | University of Chicago |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT03011671 |
| Current Protocol Status | Closed to Accrual |
| Title | Study of NRTX-1001 Neural Cell Therapy in Drug-Resistant Unilateral Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (EPIC (EPIlepsy Cell Therapy)) (EPIC) |
| Site Principal Investigator | Peter C. Warnke, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Neurona Therapeutics |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT05135091 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | A Phase 1/2 Study of NRTX-1001 Neuronal Cell Therapy in Drug-Resistant Bilateral Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (MTLE) |
| Site Principal Investigator | Peter C. Warnke, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Neurona Therapeutics |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT06422923 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Treatment ResistAnt Depression Subcallosal CingulatE Network DBS (TRANSCEND) |
| Site Principal Investigator | Peter C. Warnke, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Abbott Medical Devices |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT06423430 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Cortical Recording and Stimulating Array Brain-Machine Interface (CRS-BMI) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Peter C. Warnke, MD, John Downey, PhD |
| Principal Sponsor | Michael Boninger, University of Pittsburgh |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT01894802 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | Microbiome Determinants of Adverse Effects of Stereotactic Radiosurgery (MICRO-ARE-SRS) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Sean Polster, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | University of Chicago |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT07767981 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | NeuroRise: Intrathecal CE-1 Treatment for Traumatic SCI (NeuroRise) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Michael Hurley, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | Cell Therapy, LLC |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT07739043 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
| Title | A Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of IDCT (Intradiscal Cell Therapy) in Subjects With One Level, Symptomatic Mild to Moderate Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease (IDCT) |
| Site Principal Investigators | Mohamad Bydon, MD |
| Principal Sponsor | DiscGenics, Inc |
| Protocol Type | Treatment |
| NCT number | NCT07254806 |
| Current Protocol Status | Open to Accrual |
