Sponsor or institution
Clinical trials and research at University of Maine Orono
As of November 12, 2026, Find a Trial lists 34 NIH-funded research projects at this institution, with $12.7 million in listed awards. Every study is explained in plain English. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov and NIH RePORTER, updated November 12, 2026.
- 34NIH research projects
NIH-funded research (34)
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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Tick exposure and how rural residents manage ticks in Maine
A research effort in rural Maine will look at environmental and social factors that influence how often people are exposed to ticks and whether they would consider tick-prevention practices.
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Role of the body’s blood-pressure system in how our body fights flu in the lungs
This grant studies how the body’s RAAS system affects lung inflammation during influenza infection to understand why some people develop severe illness.
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Tissue-specific roles of muscle-ECM adhesion in neuromuscular development and maintenance
Researchers are studying how muscle-ECM attachments and signaling keep nerves, muscles, and tendons working together in a healthy body, using zebrafish as a model to understand degenerative muscle diseases.
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MultiNav: a gamified multisensory navigation system to help blind and visually impaired people
A new smartphone-based program uses game-like training and multisensory cues to help people who are blind or visually impaired learn and navigate their environments.
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Apelin and how it helps aging muscles recover
This work looks at whether boosting a natural protein called apelin can help older muscles heal and stay stronger.
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How the immune system causes muscle damage after the flu
Researchers are looking at how immune cells attack muscle during influenza infections to help people who get muscle pain, weakness, or high muscle enzymes after the flu.
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How cells respond in silent versus active JC virus infections
This project looks at how JC virus can live quietly in the body for years but sometimes destroys brain cells in people with weak immune systems.
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Role of lipids in influenza virus assembly
A scientist-led project at a university is studying how influenza virus pieces come together in human cells, with the goal of finding new ways to stop infection.
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Spatiotemporal Control of G-protein Signaling in Human Health and Disease
A study from the University of Maine explores how cells control signaling proteins to better understand diseases like cancer and heart disorders.
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Smart Eye Emulator to understand glaucoma risk
This project builds a computer 'eye emulator' to explain how eye pressure, blood pressure, age, and race influence glaucoma risk for people with or at risk for open-angle glaucoma.
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Feasibility of a 12-week manualized music program to help cognition in older adults at risk for Alzheimer’s
A 12-week, hands-on music program is being tested to see if it can help thinking skills in older adults who are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
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Understanding how apelin affects muscle regeneration as we age
This study is looking at how a substance called apelin helps muscles heal and grow back, especially as we get older and face muscle loss, using zebrafish to learn more about how it works with different cells in the body.
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Understanding how certain receptors influence cell recycling processes
This study is looking at how certain receptors in our cells can help recycle cell parts and kickstart a process called autophagy, even when there’s no stress, using yeast as a model, and the findings could help create new treatments for diseases in people.
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Understanding how muscle precursor cells move and find their way in the body
This study is looking at how certain signals help muscle cells move and grow in the body, using zebrafish embryos to learn more about how muscles form, which could help us understand muscle-related conditions better.
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Understanding how influenza affects muscle health
This study is looking at how the flu virus affects muscle health, especially for people who experience muscle problems after getting sick, and it uses zebrafish to learn more about how the body fights the virus and what that means for muscle damage.
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Understanding how a virus can cause persistent infections and its effects on the body
This study is looking at how the JC virus behaves in the body, especially why it can stay harmless in healthy people but cause serious problems in those with weakened immune systems, like people with HIV, to help find new ways to prevent dangerous diseases like PML.
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Exploring how cell communication affects behavior using advanced imaging techniques
This study is looking at how signals outside of cells affect their behavior, using advanced imaging techniques to watch live cells in action, and the findings could help develop new treatments for different health conditions.
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Leadership and mentoring for biomedical research activities
This study is all about helping scientists at the University of Maine and Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory work together better and grow in their careers, so they can come up with new ideas and projects in biomedical research.
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How cells respond to signals from their environment
This study is looking at how muscle cells react to different signals around them, which could help us learn more about muscle health and diseases, and it's being done by a team of early career scientists using tiny fish and yeast to explore these important processes.
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Understanding muscle degeneration in specific genetic disorders
This study is looking into how certain genetic conditions that affect muscles and nerves cause muscle weakness, and it aims to find out which parts of the body are most impacted and how this happens, so that we can develop better treatments for patients.
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Analyzing breast tissue types to understand cancer risk
This study is looking at how different kinds of breast tissue, especially dense tissue, might affect the chances of getting breast cancer, and it aims to help improve screening and risk assessment for patients like you.
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Creating customizable 3D materials to study the role of glycans in health.
This study is exploring a new way to create special materials that help scientists learn more about glycans, which are important for how our bodies work, so they can better understand their role in health and disease.
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Expanding the habitat for zebrafish research
This study is all about improving the zebrafish facility at the University of Maine so that researchers can use more zebrafish to better understand diseases like the flu and muscular dystrophy, ultimately helping to find new treatments for everyone.
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Understanding how RGS proteins control cell signaling
This study is looking at how certain proteins help cells communicate and respond to signals, using yeast to learn more about how this might affect human health, especially in areas like cancer and heart disease.
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Investigating how influenza virus proteins interact with host cell components
This study is looking at how the flu virus puts itself together inside our cells, focusing on a key protein and how it interacts with other parts of the virus, which could help scientists find new ways to fight the flu.
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Using a smart eye emulator to understand glaucoma risk factors
This study is looking at what factors might increase the risk of open angle glaucoma, so we can create a smart tool to help doctors better understand who needs more attention and who might not need as much treatment, making it easier for everyone to get the right care.
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Understanding how viral genes affect drug resistance in mycobacteria
This study is looking at how certain viral genes in a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium abscessus affect its ability to resist antibiotics, which is important for people with cystic fibrosis, and it hopes to find new ways to treat tough infections that don’t respond to standard treatments.
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Understanding how NAD+ affects muscle development and health in zebrafish with a specific muscle disorder
This study is looking at how a molecule called NAD+ helps muscles grow and stay healthy, using zebrafish that have a condition similar to muscular dystrophy, to find out how muscle cells stick to their surroundings and what that means for muscle strength and health.
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Understanding how bacteria can enhance the effectiveness of antifungal drugs against Candida infections
This study is looking at how the fungus Candida and the bacteria Pseudomonas work together in people with cystic fibrosis or on ventilators, to find better ways to treat infections caused by them, especially when using the antifungal medicine fluconazole.
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Understanding how viral genes affect antibiotic resistance in mycobacteria
This study is looking at how certain viral genes in a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium abscessus affect its ability to resist antibiotics, which is important for people with cystic fibrosis, as it could help find better treatments for tough infections.
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Using broccoli sprouts to reduce gut inflammation
This study is looking at how eating certain types of broccoli sprouts might help improve gut health and reduce inflammation for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), so you can learn how your diet could make a difference in managing your condition.
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How cetylpyridinium chloride affects immune cell function
This study is looking at how a common antibacterial ingredient called cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) affects immune cells in your body, especially in your mouth, to see if it might cause any harm to your health.
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Understanding how JC polyomavirus infects cells and causes disease
This study is looking at how a virus called JC polyomavirus enters cells and causes a serious brain condition called PML, especially in people with weakened immune systems, like those with HIV or on certain MS treatments, to help find better ways to treat the disease.
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Understanding how a specific gene affects limb development in babies with joint issues
This study is looking at how a specific gene called Mylpf affects muscle development and movement in babies, especially those born with joint problems like arthrogryposis, using zebrafish to help understand how to improve treatment options for these little ones.
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