Sponsor or institution
Clinical trials and research at Minneapolis VA Medical Center
As of November 12, 2026, Find a Trial lists 53 NIH-funded research projects at this institution. Every study is explained in plain English. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov and NIH RePORTER, updated November 12, 2026.
- 53NIH research projects
NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 53)
Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.
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Understanding posture and movement in Parkinson’s patients to reduce falls
A study using wearable sensors to track real-world balance and movement in people with Parkinson’s disease to help prevent falls.
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Better footwear options for women veterans with leg amputations
This project tests a modular, interchangeable prosthetic ankle and 3D-printed feet to improve shoe choices and comfort for women veterans with leg amputations.
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Peripheral orexin drugs to help movement in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease
Aims to test whether peripheral orexin agonists can improve motor function in a Parkinson’s disease mouse model to inform potential future benefits for patients.
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Quantitative imaging to find chronic lung disease in high-risk patients
A project will use advanced chest CT image analysis to detect chronic lung diseases early in veterans, aiming to help people who might otherwise go undiagnosed.
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Ergonomic multi-speed wheelchair
An adjustable, multi-speed ergonomic wheelchair aims to help Veterans with spinal cord injury use less energy and move more easily.
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Rehabilitation and Engineering Center to Help Veterans Stay Active and Engaged
A center is working to help veterans with amputations or spinal cord injuries stay involved in daily life by creating practical rehab tools and technologies, and making it easier to adapt as needs change over time.
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Fisetin approach to reduce vulnerability to community infections in aging veterans
A patient-friendly look at a study testing whether the natural compound fisetin can help aging Veterans stay healthier when they face common infections.
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Mobile manual standing wheelchair to help people stand more and move while upright
A mobile manual standing wheelchair designed to help people with spinal cord injury stand more often and move around while standing.
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Closing gaps in substance use care for Indigenous Veterans
Aims to understand and improve how the VA provides quality alcohol and other substance use treatment for Indigenous Veterans.
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Smartphone early-warning system for bipolar mood episodes
This project uses a smartphone app and algorithms to give Veterans with bipolar disorder early alerts when a mood episode may be starting.
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Home-based rehabilitation for phantom limb pain using a mobile app
A mobile app offers guided graded motor imagery exercises to help Veterans with lower-limb amputations manage phantom limb pain at home.
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Helping Veterans with Amputations or Spinal Cord Injuries Stay Active and Connected
This program develops and tries out practical rehabilitation approaches and technologies to help Veterans with amputations or spinal cord injuries stay involved in everyday life as they age.
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Understanding brain signs and daily experiences to prevent suicide in high-risk Veterans
A five-year program helping a VA clinician become an independent researcher to use brain imaging and daily mood data to spot and prevent suicide risk in high-risk Veterans.
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Community-prescribed opioids and Veterans' safety and pain
This project looks at how opioid prescriptions from community providers affect Veterans' safety and pain outcomes since the MISSION Act expanded community care.
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Brain stimulation plus thinking-skills training to reduce impulsive eating and weight in veterans with obesity
This project tries gentle brain stimulation together with thinking-skills exercises to help veterans with obesity reduce impulsive eating and lose weight.
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Genetics and patterns of chronic lung disease in U.S. Veterans
This project will combine VA health records, lung imaging, and genetic data to find genetic patterns linked to asthma, COPD, and interstitial lung disease in U.S. Veterans.
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Pulmonary and systemic effects of PM2.5 exposure during Southeast Asia deployment
This project will follow Veterans exposed to fine airborne particles during Southeast Asia deployment to learn how those exposures relate to lung health and overall body function.
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Small-molecule drugs that target synaptojanin 1 for Alzheimer's
This work is trying new small-molecule drugs to slow Alzheimer's by lowering activity of a brain protein called synaptojanin 1, which is linked to memory loss and APOE ε4-related problems.
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Suicide exposure among post‑9/11 Veterans: who is affected and what help is needed
This work looks at how many post‑9/11 Veterans know someone who died by suicide and what kinds of care they may need, with extra focus on women and American Indian/Alaska Native Veterans.
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Bringing proven psychotherapies for depression into VA clinics
This project aims to make it easier for Veterans to get effective, evidence-based psychotherapies for depression by understanding and fixing barriers in VA care.
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Helping Veterans Manage PTSD Symptoms After Therapy
This program helps Veterans continue to manage their PTSD symptoms and build on their therapy progress after completing trauma-focused treatment.
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Improving footwear options for women veterans with amputations
This study is all about making prosthetic feet better for women veterans who have had amputations, by creating a new ankle system that lets them easily switch between different styles of 3D-printed feet to match their favorite shoes, helping them feel more comfortable and confident in their daily lives.
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Helping Veterans Quit Smoking with Social Support
This project helps Veterans who smoke by offering a social support program to encourage them to use existing resources to quit.
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How past infections change the immune response in sepsis
Researchers are comparing immune reactions in mice with normal microbial exposure to standard lab mice to better understand the runaway inflammation that causes sepsis and help people with severe infections.
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Understanding impulsivity in Parkinson's disease
This study is looking into why some people with Parkinson's disease might struggle with impulsive behaviors like gambling or overeating, especially how their medications might play a role, so we can find better ways to help improve their lives and support their families.
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Using brain stimulation and cognitive training to help veterans with alcohol use disorder
This study is looking at how a special type of brain stimulation, combined with brain training exercises, can help veterans who are dealing with alcohol use problems by improving their thinking skills and reducing the chances of relapse.
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Understanding sleep patterns in veterans with trauma-related nightmares
This study is looking at how veterans with trauma-related nightmares and trouble sleeping experience sleep at home, so we can better understand their sleep patterns and create personalized treatments to help them manage their nightmares.
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Effects of airborne particles on lung health in veterans
This study is looking at how breathing in dust and smoke during military service in Southeast Asia might affect the lung health of veterans, especially those who have breathing problems, and it aims to help understand the long-term health effects of their experiences.
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How common genetic differences change a cell's protein-stress response in Alzheimer's
Looks at whether common genetic differences in the cell's protein-folding stress system change how Alzheimer's and related tau diseases progress.
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Developing a wheelchair that adjusts speed for better mobility.
This study is testing a new, comfortable wheelchair made just for Veterans with spinal cord injuries, which lets you easily switch gears for different types of terrain, helping you move around more easily and use less energy in your daily activities.
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Evaluating the safety and outcomes of opioids prescribed in community care for veterans
This study looks at how getting care from community providers affects the safety and effectiveness of opioid prescriptions for veterans dealing with pain, and it aims to learn from veterans' experiences to make pain management safer and better for everyone.
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Training program for Veterans and military-connected students in mental health research
This program invites Veterans and their children to join a friendly summer research experience where students can learn about mental health issues like PTSD and suicide prevention, while also helping to create better support services based on real-life experiences.
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Improving detection and prevention of suicide risk in veterans using brain imaging techniques.
This study is looking to help veterans who are at risk of suicide by using brain scans to learn more about how their minds work, so we can find better ways to support them and prevent suicide during their recovery.
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Using ketamine to enhance therapy for PTSD
This study is looking at whether adding ketamine to Prolonged Exposure therapy can help people with PTSD feel better faster, especially for those who haven't found relief with standard treatments.
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Understanding and treating substance use disorders in veterans
This study is looking at how substance use problems affect veterans, especially those dealing with issues like PTSD and anxiety, and it will help them by tracking their symptoms daily for four weeks to give personalized feedback that could improve their treatment.
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Using smartphone apps to predict episodes in bipolar disorder
This study is testing a smartphone app that helps veterans with bipolar disorder by tracking their mood and social activities, so they can get early warnings about mood changes and receive support before things get too difficult.
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New treatments to slow down Alzheimer's disease
This study is looking at new ways to help people with Alzheimer's by targeting a protein that may be causing memory problems, with the hope of improving thinking skills and slowing down the disease.
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Home-based therapy for managing phantom limb pain in Veterans with amputations
This study is creating a friendly mobile app to help Veterans with lower limb amputations manage phantom limb pain using fun exercises that train the brain, and we want to hear from them to make sure the app works well for their needs.
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How obesity affects brain inflammation and memory in Alzheimer's disease
This study is looking at how being overweight in middle age and eating a lot of saturated fats might affect brain health and increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease, with hopes of finding new ways to prevent it.
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Understanding balance problems in Parkinson's disease
This study is looking at how balance problems affect people with Parkinson's disease by using wearable sensors to track their stability in everyday situations, with the hope of finding better ways to help them stay safe and improve their quality of life.
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