Sponsor or institution
Clinical trials and research at Saint Louis University
As of November 12, 2026, Find a Trial lists 110 NIH-funded research projects at this institution, with $49.1 million in listed awards. Every study is explained in plain English. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov and NIH RePORTER, updated November 12, 2026.
- 110NIH research projects
NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 110)
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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Selective Targeting of Nurr1 for Alzheimer’s Disease
A small study tests new brain-targeted compounds to help people with Alzheimer’s by reducing inflammation and protecting brain cells.
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Understanding how TDP-43 clumps cause brain cell damage in dementia
A research team is studying how clumps of TDP-43 protein mess with brain cell functions in Alzheimer’s and related dementias, with the goal of identifying what goes wrong and where.
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Encephalitogenic stem-like T cells in MS and its disease models
This grant explores a specific type of brain-accumulating T cell linked to multiple sclerosis and tests new analytical tools to understand them better.
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Endothelial dysfunction in Alzheimer’s disease: a data-driven model for diagnosis and prognosis
This research explores brain blood vessel problems in people with Alzheimer’s to find new biomarkers that could help diagnose and predict progression.
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How alcohol may damage the brain’s protective barrier and how to stop it
Researchers are studying how heavy drinking could weaken the brain’s shield by changing a signaling system called LPA in blood vessels of the brain, and whether blocking parts of this system could help.
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A brain immune-cell receptor (GPR56) and its link to Alzheimer's
Testing whether changing activity of a microglial receptor called GPR56 can reduce Alzheimer's brain plaques and related damage in people with Alzheimer's disease.
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Role of IL-9 in gastric metaplasia and cancer development
Scientists are studying how immune signals in the stomach, especially IL-9, may drive precancerous changes and stomach cancer, using mouse models, organoids, and human tissue to understand risk and new ways to diagnose or treat the disease.
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Understanding how sex differences affect helper T cells in bladder cancer
A study to uncover why male and female immune systems respond differently to bladder cancer, focusing on CD4+ helper T cells and how hormones may influence them.
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Insomnia, Depression, and Sleep Medications in Mild Cognitive Impairment Leading to Dementia
This project looks at how sleep problems and depression, along with the medicines used to treat them, may affect the progression from mild cognitive issues to dementia in older adults.
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Bringing proven mental health ideas to corrections staff in daily practice
Aimed at helping corrections staff reduce stress and trauma by spreading proven mental health programs into real-world settings.
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Transferrin's role in red blood cell production and iron balance
This project looks at whether shifting iron onto the N lobe of transferrin can improve red blood cell production in people with ineffective erythropoiesis like beta‑thalassemia.
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Antisense therapy for MC4R-related genetic obesity in young children
A new antisense oligonucleotide treatment is being explored to help children with MC4R-related obesity, aiming to reduce excessive hunger and improve weight-related health risks.
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Targeting plasmalogen dysregulation to predict and treat sepsis
Researchers are testing whether specific lipid markers in blood can help predict outcomes and guide treatment for sepsis in adults and children.
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NASH Clinical Research Network at Saint Louis University (pediatric and adult components)
A national program led by Saint Louis University tests treatments and studies for metabolic liver disease affecting adults and children.
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Targeting the body's lipid transporters to boost immune defense and fight cancer
A scientist team at Saint Louis University is studying how specific lipid transporters (Spns2) move a key signal (S1P) in our bodies, with the goal of finding new ways to modulate the immune system and reduce cancer spread.
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Fingolimod and Ozanimod as a new option for chemobrain relief
A patient-focused look at using existing brain-penetrant drugs to help people experience fewer thinking and memory problems after chemotherapy.
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Uncovering how oxysterols drive nerve-pain signals
A researcher is studying how certain fat-derived chemicals called oxysterols and glial cells in the spinal cord may cause chronic neuropathic pain, with the aim of finding non-opioid ways to relieve it.
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Structure-guided look at the hepatitis B virus polymerase
A research team will map how the hepatitis B virus polymerase works, using its structure to understand how it makes viral DNA, which could lead to better treatments for hepatitis B.
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New approach to prevent cognitive problems from cancer treatment
A study in mice tests a new brain drug target to stop thinking and memory problems caused by chemotherapy.
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Understanding blood vessel changes in Alzheimer’s
This project looks for proteins and RNA signs of blood-vessel damage in people with Alzheimer’s to see how those changes relate to memory and brain scans.
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How Replication Protein A helps keep DNA stable
This work looks at how a protein called Replication Protein A (RPA) shields and organizes exposed DNA during copying and repair to help prevent mutations linked to cancer.
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How eIF6 controls the cell's protein-making machinery
Researchers aim to understand how the protein eIF6 affects protein production in cells so this knowledge can help develop new treatments for cancers linked to eIF6.
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Understanding how PALB2’s flexible region helps fix broken DNA
A scientist-led study will look at how a fuzzy part of PALB2 helps repair DNA, which could improve cancer prevention and treatment in people.
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Th9 immune cells and protection from tuberculosis
This work looks at whether a type of immune cell called Th9 helps protect people from tuberculosis.
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How prothrombin is activated in blood clotting
Scientists are studying how a key blood-clotting protein (prothrombin) is switched on, which could improve our understanding of bleeding and clotting disorders.
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Pain-relieving targets from patient antibodies: CRMP5/GluN2B signaling in neuropathic pain
This grant explores how autoantibodies in patients with neuropathic pain may uncover new targets to relieve persistent pain.
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Injectable lubricating microgels that slowly release platelet-rich plasma for post‑traumatic knee osteoarthritis
Tiny injectable gel beads that slowly release platelet-rich plasma are designed to reduce inflammation and protect knees after injury in people with post‑traumatic osteoarthritis.
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How a part of PALB2 helps repair DNA
Find out how a region of the PALB2 protein helps cells repair broken DNA that can lead to cancer.
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New treatments from bitter melon for head and neck (oral) cancer
Researchers are testing bitter melon compounds, including momordicine-I, as potential new treatments for people with head and neck (especially oral) cancer.
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Improving how medicines get through the vocal cord lining
Developing methods to help medicines pass through the lining of the vocal cords so adults with voice problems can get treatments that work better and act faster.
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Extracellular Matrix in Vascular Development and Disease
A physician-scientist-in-training will develop expertise to study how the body's scaffolding matrix affects blood vessels, aiming to advance treatments for vascular conditions.
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Saint Louis University vaccine and treatment trials center
This SLU program runs vaccine and treatment trials for infectious diseases, including biodefense threats like anthrax, and enrolls adults in early-to-late phase studies.
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How inflammation drives harmful changes in the stomach lining
This work looks at whether immune cells and signals from H. pylori infection or autoimmune gastritis cause stomach lining changes that can lead to cancer in people with these conditions.
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Cathepsin L's role in changing nuclear proteins linked to aging and Alzheimer’s
Seeing if changing levels of the enzyme cathepsin L can reduce harmful nuclear proteins in people with Alzheimer’s disease and premature-aging syndromes.
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Developing hamster models to study human adenoviruses
This study is working on improving hamster models to help us learn more about adenoviruses, which can cause infections in people, so we can find better treatments for those affected.
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Developing models to understand infectious diseases.
This study is working on creating models that mimic infectious diseases to help researchers find better treatments, which could lead to new options for patients dealing with infections.
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Understanding how specific heart channels affect heart rhythm and disease mechanisms
This study is looking at how certain channels in the heart affect its electrical activity and rhythm, which could help find new ways to treat heart rhythm problems like atrial fibrillation and long QT syndrome.
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Increasing progranulin levels to treat frontotemporal dementia
This study is exploring a new treatment for frontotemporal dementia caused by a specific gene mutation, using a special type of therapy that could help boost a protein in the brain, which might improve symptoms and reduce inflammation.
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Understanding how a protein called Spns2 works to fight cancer and improve immune system function
This project aims to understand how a specific protein, Spns2, moves a molecule called S1P in and out of cells, which is important for immune responses and cancer growth.
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Understanding and Treating Liver Disease (MASH) in Adults and Children
This long-standing research effort aims to find better ways to diagnose, prevent, and treat a serious liver condition called MASH, which affects both adults and children.
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