Sponsor or institution
Clinical trials and research at University of Tennessee Health Sci Ctr
As of November 12, 2026, Find a Trial lists 189 NIH-funded research projects at this institution, with $100.2 million in listed awards. Every study is explained in plain English. Data from ClinicalTrials.gov and NIH RePORTER, updated November 12, 2026.
- 189NIH research projects
NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 189)
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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EP2 blockers to protect the brain after a stroke
Aims to test brain-permeable EP2 antagonists to reduce damage after ischemic stroke and improve recovery.
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HIV drugs may also stop a dangerous fungus from growing
A cancer/antifungal researcher is exploring whether HIV medicines can help treat cryptococcal infections in people with HIV/AIDS.
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Profiling immune cells to find early inflammation clues in kids with obesity and insulin resistance
This project looks at how immune cells in children with obesity may show early inflammatory changes linked to insulin resistance.
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Targeted inhibitors to block a key enzyme and fight metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
A new drug candidate aimed at a specific enzyme in cancer cells is being developed to stop the spread of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
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New fungal partner targets to curb Aspergillus infection in vulnerable patients
A NIH-funded project is exploring how the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus grows and causes serious infections in people with weakened immune systems, with the aim of finding new ways to stop it.
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Epigenetic control of aging heart function
A scientist at a university is studying how aging changes heart function and whether a specific gene, KDM6A, influences this process to uncover ways to prevent or treat aging-related heart problems.
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NPY and anxiety link in Alzheimer’s disease modeled in rats
A study in an Alzheimer’s disease rat model looks at whether a brain chemical called neuropeptide Y (NPY) helps control anxiety and fear circuits that often occur with the disease.
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Strategies to protect the brain from arsenic-related damage in Alzheimer’s disease
A NIH grant is exploring how arsenic exposure may worsen memory and brain changes in people with Alzheimer’s disease and how we might prevent or lessen that damage.
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Leukocyte RNA biomarkers to help diagnose and monitor dystonia
A small study will look for RNA signatures in blood that could help diagnose and track dystonia in people who have the condition.
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Alcohol exposure across life may raise Alzheimer’s risk
A study tests whether alcohol exposure in development and adulthood together increase brain changes linked to Alzheimer’s in adults.
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How gut microbes and their metabolites influence immune protection and obesity-related cancer risk
A research team will study how gut microbes and their metabolic products may affect immune protection and cancer risk in people with obesity, using human subjects and lab models.
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LGR4 and artery disease in people living with HIV
This project looks at whether a protein called LGR4 helps drive faster artery plaque buildup in people living with HIV.
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Understanding how gut microbes’ chemical messengers affect breast cancer and immune response
This project explores how microbially derived metabolites from the gut might influence breast cancer risk and how the immune system fights the disease, in the context of weight loss after bariatric surgery.
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Improving breast health in high-poverty neighborhoods
This project looks at how neighborhood poverty affects late breast cancer diagnosis and deaths and aims to find community changes and policies that help women get diagnosed earlier and live longer.
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Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Babies with CDH
A multi-center study tests whether stopping routine use of inhaled nitric oxide in newborns with congenital diaphragmatic hernia is safe and effective so care can be simpler and potentially better.
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Helping cancer survivors keep up regular physical activity
This project compares text-message reminders and peer coaching to help cancer survivors maintain regular physical activity after a 3-month starter program.
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Targeted MDM2 Degraders for Better Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Therapy
A new option for people with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) aims to degrade the MDM2 protein to improve treatment outcomes.
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Life Stress and Resilience to Substance Misuse in Black and White Youth
A study following a diverse group of children and teens to understand how stress influences substance use differently for Black and White youth and what helps protect against misuse.
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Modulating drug transporters to boost HIV drug levels in macrophages
This project looks at how different macrophage states change the flow of HIV medicines inside cells, aiming to improve how well antiretrovirals work in the macrophage reservoir.
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Fungal–bacterial gut and bloodstream infections: how mixed infections worsen outcomes
A funded project will study how fungal and bacterial infections together worsen illness in hospitalized patients and why they lead to higher death rates.
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Promoting Tau Clearance in Alzheimer’s Disease
This project aims to understand how tau protein is cleared from brain cells in Alzheimer’s disease and to find ways to boost that clearance to slow cognitive decline.
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Neonatal brain blood-vessel protection in prolonged asphyxia
This project tests a new approach to protect the baby’s brain by strengthening blood vessels and reducing stress after a prolonged sleep-depriving event (asphyxia) in newborns.
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Neural basis of how kids and animals respond to new tastes
This grant studies how the brain handles fear of new foods and how that affects eating in children, using animal models to understand the brain circuits involved.
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Sphingolipid Clues to Vesicant Eye Injuries
Aims to understand how fat- and water-soluble cell signals called sphingolipids drive eye injury after chemical threats, with potential new treatments for affected patients.
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Retaining the CANDLE cohort to find early-life risk factors for obesity and mental health in kids
A large NIH grant uses data from the CANDLE and ECHO cohorts to find early-life factors linked to obesity and mental health problems in children and teens.
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Expanding the small molecule toolbox with fluorinated building blocks
This grant aims to develop new fluorinated small molecules that can be used as tools to study biology and support drug discovery, potentially benefiting patients through better research tools and therapies.
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Nf2-based control of neuron numbers in the developing cerebellum
Researchers are studying how the brain makes the right mix of neurons in the cerebellum to support proper movement and thoughts, which could relate to autism and related conditions.
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Understanding how Chlamydia divides to improve treatments
Researchers are studying how the sexually transmitted pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis divides inside human cells, using a unique division system to uncover new ways to stop infections.
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Targeting BRG1 to Make GBM more responsive to therapy
Aimed at making glioblastoma tumors more sensitive to standard treatments by blocking a key chromatin regulator called BRG1.
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Radiation damage to gut immune cells and gut microbes
A study in people and models to understand how radiation harms gut immune cells and disrupts the gut bacteria, with goals to develop targeted treatments for GI complications after radiation exposure.
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Genetic tweaks linked to kidney problems in sickle cell disease
A small, patient-focused project will look at how specific genetic factors may raise the risk of kidney injury in people with sickle cell disease, and whether a computer model can predict this risk.
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New brain circuit linked to amotivation in a 22q11.2 deletion mouse model
Researchers study a brain circuit that may cause amotivation in a mouse model of 22q11 deletion syndrome, aiming to pave the way for new treatments.
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Cholinergic signals shaping how we smell in the awake brain
This project studies how brain chemicals that release acetylcholine change the way smelling information is processed in awake animals, with potential implications for Alzheimer’s-related smell changes.
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How gut calcium channels contribute to alcohol-related liver damage
This project is looking at whether blocking specific calcium channels in the gut can help protect adults who drink heavily from gut leakiness and alcohol-related liver injury.
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Prenatal metabolite patterns linked to early childhood growth and obesity risk
This project looks at small molecules in pregnant mothers' blood over time to find patterns that predict which children may gain weight quickly or develop overweight/obesity.
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Genes that influence how THC changes behavior and bodily responses
This project looks at how natural genetic differences affect how the body and behavior respond to high‑potency cannabis in a mouse model, with potential implications for people who use cannabis.
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How aging changes the kidney's control of blood pressure
This work looks at whether tiny kidney-derived particles called renal stem cell exosomes help keep kidneys working and blood pressure normal in older adults.
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Siglec-E's role in clearing bacterial infections
Researchers are looking at how a protein called Siglec-E helps the immune system fight bacteria that can cause sepsis.
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Childhood Health: Understanding Early Risks for Obesity and Mental Well-being
This project aims to understand how early life experiences influence a child's risk for developing obesity and mental health challenges.
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Preventing and treating breast cancer spread to the brain and bones
New brain‑penetrating drug versions and bone‑targeted drug conjugates for people with metastatic breast cancer that has spread to the brain or bones.
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