Sponsor or institution
Clinical trials and research at VA San Diego Healthcare System
As of November 12, 2026, Find a Trial lists 130 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.
- 130NIH research projects
NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 130)
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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Map heart tissue to guide VT ablation with AI help
A patient-oriented project aims to use AI-based mapping to better identify abnormal heart tissue responsible for ventricular tachycardia and guide safer, faster ablation.
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Understanding and targeting negative effort dependence in sleep apnea
A doctor-scientist team is studying how breathing effort changes within breaths in sleep apnea to find better ways to prevent airway collapse.
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Biomarkers to tailor rehab for Veterans with schizophrenia
A clinician-scientist is developing a brain-based biomarker to guide personalized rehabilitation for Veterans with schizophrenia.
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Qnnections: A Social Connection‑Focused Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ+ Veterans
A new group-based program tailored for LGBTQ+ Veterans aims to strengthen belonging and reduce burdensomeness to help prevent suicide.
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Treatment for Relationships and Safety Together (TR&ST): couples therapy to reduce suicide risk
A couples-based therapy to help veterans with suicidal thoughts by strengthening relationship support and safety between partners.
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Enhancing how Veterans and clinicians work together in VA mental health care
A VA program will test a 10-session group to help Veterans with serious mental illness collaborate more effectively with their clinicians and care teams.
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Understanding repetitive negative thinking after trauma to help veterans
A VA-led project will study how intrusive thoughts, rumination, and worry unfold in daily life after trauma and how brain activity relates to these moments.
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Cognitive risk profiles in aging veterans using big data for precision medicine
This project looks at how multiple risk factors like metabolic issues, head injuries, and genetic risks combine to affect memory and dementia in aging veterans.
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Mantram Repetition Program for Veterans with PTSD and Chronic Pain
A VA study will test a meditation-based program to help veterans who have both PTSD and chronic pain feel better and sleep better, compared with standard health education.
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Peptide-guided delivery to the inner ear to prevent hearing loss
A study exploring a new peptide-based method to deliver treatments directly into the cochlea to prevent or slow hearing loss in patients with cochlear conditions.
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How a tiny virus carrier could protect nerve cells in ALS Veterans
Researchers are testing a new gene-delivery approach to help protect nerve cells and improve function for people with ALS, with a focus on Veterans.
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Durability of Compensatory Cognitive Training for Older Veterans
A VA-led program tests whether booster sessions help older veterans maintain cognitive skills and everyday function after Compensatory Cognitive Training.
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Improving nerve repair after spinal cord injury with stem cell grafts
A clinician-research team is testing how to make neural stem cell grafts connect better with a patient’s own nerves after spinal cord injury, aiming to improve recovery.
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Daily life and self-care for Veterans with Type 2 diabetes
This project uses wearable activity trackers and short daily surveys to learn how mood, pain, stress, and social situations affect how Veterans with Type 2 diabetes manage exercise, medications, and blood sugar.
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Cognitive training to help Veterans with lingering COVID-19 brain symptoms
A pilot study will test a remote cognitive training program to help Veterans who have long-COVID brain problems improve daily functioning and thinking.
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Improved bone imaging after nerve repair and rehabilitation
Trying new imaging methods to find and track bone weakening in people recovering from nerve injuries after repair and rehabilitation.
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Intranasal Oxytocin to Boost Brief Couples Therapy for Veterans with PTSD
This study tests whether giving intranasal oxytocin can enhance a short, two-person therapy for military veterans with PTSD and their partners.
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OurRelationship: a scalable online couples program for Veterans
A digital, scalable couples program helps Veterans and their partners improve relationship health and overall wellbeing.
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Understanding PTSD risk genes by combining multiple biological data types
Researchers will study how genetic differences and related biological signals relate to PTSD risk, using human data and lab models to connect genes to brain biology.
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Improving cognitive rehabilitation for Veterans with mental health issues
This study is looking to help Veterans with mental health-related cognitive challenges by figuring out which specific brain training methods work best for them, using a special brain test, so they can get personalized support to improve their thinking skills.
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Using 3D printed scaffolds to repair spinal cord injuries in primates
This study is exploring how 3D printed structures can help heal spinal cord injuries in monkeys, with the hope that what we learn will lead to better treatments for people with similar injuries.
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Personalized assessment of how GABA changes affect PTSD
This project tests how blocking GABA signals with a single dose of a benzodiazepine changes brain signals and behavior in Veterans with PTSD to identify a specific high-arousal subgroup.
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Preventing scarring and age-related weakness of the anal sphincter
Researchers are developing ways to stop scarring and rebuild the anal sphincter muscle to help women who leak stool after childbirth or as they get older.
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Helping Veterans with serious mental illness make better treatment decisions
This study is all about helping Veterans with serious mental illness feel more confident in making choices about their own treatment by trying out a new training program that teaches decision-making skills, and we want to see how well it works with a small group at the VA San Diego.
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Personalized versus standard treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Veterans
A randomized trial tests a personalized treatment plan versus standard care to eradicate Helicobacter pylori in Veterans.
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Detecting brain changes in veterans with mild traumatic brain injury
This study is looking for new ways to see how mild brain injuries affect thinking and brain health in veterans, using advanced imaging techniques and tests to help improve their treatment and care.
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Psychedelic-assisted approaches to help social and thinking skills in schizophrenia (preclinical and early-stage work)
This grant explores whether psychedelic-inspired compounds could help improve social skills and thinking flexibility in models related to schizophrenia, with a focus on how these effects might work alongside antipsychotic medications.
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How beta7 integrin controls gut bacteria that trigger IBD
This work looks at whether the beta7 integrin changes gut B cells, IgA antibodies, and gut bacteria that can trigger inflammatory bowel disease patients.
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Targeting LRP1 to reduce nerve inflammation and neuropathic pain
This work looks at whether focusing on a protein called LRP1 in nerve support cells can help people with chronic neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury.
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Biomarker-informed Cognitive Training to Help Veterans with Serious Mental Illness
A therapy program using targeted cognitive training (TCT) guided by brain biomarkers aims to help Veterans with serious mental illness improve thinking, daily functioning, and overall well-being.
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Understanding how military sexual trauma and PTSD affect brain and immune system health
This project studies how inflammation in the body and brain relates to PTSD in veterans who experienced military sexual trauma, with a focus on immune signals and nervous system changes over time.
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Helping arms and hands recover after neck-level spinal cord injury
This project tests ways to help the nerve pathways that control the arms and hands regrow after a cervical spinal cord injury so people with neck-level paralysis may regain hand movement.
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Peer-delivered recovery support to prevent suicide for Veterans with serious mental illness
This project offers a peer-delivered recovery-focused program to help Veterans with serious mental illness reduce suicidal thoughts and stay connected to care.
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Approach-avoidance training to help veterans recover from alcohol problems
This project tests a computer program that trains Veterans with alcohol use disorder to reduce automatic approach toward alcohol and support recovery alongside their usual care.
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Follow-up colonoscopy decisions for adults 75 and older
This project looks at whether getting routine follow-up colonoscopies after polyp removal helps people aged 75 and older avoid colorectal cancer while weighing the procedure risks.
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Drug that targets immune cells to reduce scarring in early heart failure with preserved pumping function
A medication that calms immune-driven inflammation in the heart is being tried to reduce scarring and help people with early HFpEF, especially women with diabetes or obesity.
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Genetics and clinical risk factors for traumatic brain injury effects in veterans
This work looks at veterans' health records, survey answers, and genetic data to find who is more likely to have lasting problems after a traumatic brain injury.
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Finding PTSD subgroups in Veterans using genes and brain scans
Researchers are using genetic information and brain imaging from Veterans to find different types of PTSD so care can be better matched to each person.
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Advanced MRI to understand bone health after spinal cord injury
Researchers are using new MRI methods to look at bone structure and bone marrow health in people with long-term spinal cord injury to help prevent fractures and related problems.
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Harmful gut bacteria linked to alcohol-related liver damage
This work looks at whether certain harmful gut bacteria make liver disease worse in people who drink heavily.
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