The Department of Neurosurgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital is a pioneer in neuroscience and is dedicated to the research of neurological disorders including tumor biology, aneurysms, stroke, epilepsy, and spinal disorders.
Below are our current research studies and clinical trials. Please note that not all of the studies are human subject trials. We suggest patient’s reference clinicaltrials.gov for a more complete list of open clinical trials.
For any questions regarding the listed research studies and clinical trials, please reach out to one of our Clinical Research Coordinators at neurosurgerycrc@bwh.harvard.edu.
Brain Tumor Research
- A Phase I Study of the Treatment of Recurrent Malignant Glioma with rQNestin34.5v.2, a Genetically Engineered HSV-1 Virus, and immunomodulation with Cyclophosphamide
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- Phase I Study of Neoadjuvant GMCI plus Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Combined with Standard of Care for Newly Diagnosed High-Grade Gliomas
PI: Wenya Linda Bi, MD, PhD
- A Randomized, Double‐blinded, Placebo‐controlled Phase 2, Study of (ERC1671/GM CSF/Cyclophosphamide)+Bevacizumab vs. (Placebo Injection/Placebo Pill) +Bevacizumab in the Treatment of Recurrent/Progressive, Bevacizumab naïve Glioblastoma and Gliosarcoma Patients (WHO grade IV malignant gliomas, GBM)
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- Protocol ATI001-102 Substudy: Evaluation of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + Veledimex in Combination with Nivolumab in Subjects with Recurrent or Progressive Glioblastoma
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- A Multicenter Phase 2 Study of Oncolytic Polio/Rhinovirus Recombinant (PVSRIPO) in Recurrent WHO Grade IV Malignant Glioma Patients
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- A Phase 2, Open-label, Single-arm Study Evaluating the Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Oncolytic Polio/Rhinovirus Recombinant (PVSRIPO) and the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Pembrolizumab in the Treatment of Patients with Recurrent Glioblastoma
PI: Patrick Wen, MD
- Protocol ATI001-102 Expansion Substudy: Evaluation of Ad-RTS-hIL-12 + Veledimex in Subjects with Recurrent or Progressive Glioblastoma
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- Assessment of Safety and Feasibility of ExAblate Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption for the Treatment of High Grade Glioma in Patients Undergoing Standard Chemotherapy
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Assessment of Safety and Feasibility of Exablate Type 2 for Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption (BBBD) with Microbubble Resonators for the Treatment of Recurrent Glioblastoma (rGBM) in Subjects Undergoing Carboplatin Monotherapy
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Feasibility of the LUM Imaging System for Intraoperative Detection of Residual Cancer in the Tumor Bed in Subjects with Cancer Metastases to the Brain
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- A Pilot Study of an Implantable Microdevice for In Situ Evaluation of Drug Response in Patients with Primary Brain Tumors
PI: Pier Paolo Peruzzi, MD, PhD
- Treatment response assessment maps (TRAMs) in the delineation of radiation necrosis from tumor progression after stereotactic radiation in patients with brain metastases: A prospective study
PI: Wenya Linda Bi, MD, PhD
Spine Research
- SIJ Stabilization in Long Fusion to the Pelvis: Randomized Controlled Trial
PI: Yi Lu, MD, PhD
- A proSpecTive, Randomized, controlled, single-blind, dose-finding, mUlti-Center, parallel group study of the safeTy and efficacy of KUR- 113 Bone Graft (TGplPTH1-34 in fibrin) versus local autograft for the treatment of patients undergoing single-level transforaminal lumbar intErbody fusion (the STRUCTURE study)
PI: John Chi, MD, MPH
- Study to Assess the Efficacy and Safety of VX-210 Subjects with Acute Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
PI: Yi Lu, MD, PhD
- The INSPIRE Study: Probably Benefit of the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold for Treatment of AIS. A Thoracic Acute Spinal Cord Injury
PI: Yi Lu, MD, PhD
- A Clinical Study to Assess the Safety and Effectiveness of the Premia Spine TOPS System
PI: John Chi, MD, MPH
- A Prospective, Concurrently Controlled, Multi-Center Study to Evaluate the Safety and Effectiveness of the Spinal Kinetics M6-C™ Artificial Cervical Disc Compared to Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion (ACDF) for the Treatment of Contiguous Two-Level Symptomatic Cervical Radiculopathy
PI: John Chi, MD, MPH
- The coflexCOMMUNITY Study: An Observational Study of coflex Interlaminar Technology
PI: Yi Lu, MD, PhD
Functional Disorders Research
- A Randomized, Placebo Surgery Controlled, Double-blinded, Multi-center, Phase 2 Clinical Trial, Evaluating the Efficacy and Safety of VY-AADC02 in Advanced Parkinson’s Disease with Motor Fluctuations
PI: G. Rees Cosgrove, MD
- ExAblate Transcranial MRgFUS of the Globus Pallidum for Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease
PI: G. Rees Cosgrove, MD
- Global Registry: ExAblate 4000 Transcranial MR Guided Focused Ultrasound (TcMRgFUS) of Neurological Disorders
PI: G. Rees Cosgrove, MD
- A Pivotal Clinical Trial of the Management of the Medically-Refractory Dyskinesia Symptoms or Motor Fluctuations of Advanced Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease with Unilateral Lesioning of the Globus Pallidum Using the ExAblate Neuro System
PI: G. Rees Cosgrove, MD
Cerebrovascular Research
- ENRICH (Early MiNimally-invasive Removal of ICH)
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
- SURF: A Prospective, Multicenter Study Assessing the Embolization of Intracranial Aneurysms using WAVE™ Extra Soft coils, a part of the Penumbra SMART COIL® System
PI: Nirav J. Patel, MD
- Embolization of the Middle Meningeal Artery with ONYXTM Liquid Embolic System In the Treatment of Subacute and Chronic Subdural Hematoma (EMBOLISE)
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
- SOFia Aspiration System as first line Technique (SOFAST)
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
Humanitarian Use Device Research
- MicroVention Low-profile Visualized Intraluminal Support (LVIS) Device
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
- Codman Neurovascular Enterprise Vascular Reconstruction Device and Delivery System
PI: Kai Frerichs, MD
- Wingspan Stent System with Gateway PTA Balloon Catheter for the Treatment of Symptomatic Atherosclerotic Disease for Humanitarian Use
PI: Kai Frerichs, MD
- Use of the Neuroform Atlas Stent, a Humanitarian Use Device, for the Treatment of wide-necked Cerebral Aneurysms
PI: Kai Frerichs, MD
- PulseRider Aneurysm Neck Reconstruction Device
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
Additional Research
- Behavioral and MRI Studies in Healthy Subjects
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Optical Coherence Tomography: Evaluation of the Retinal Thickness and Correlation with Clinical Outcomes after Transsphenoidal Surgery
PI: Edward Laws, MD
- Endocrine and Surgical Complications in Pure Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal Surgery
PI: Edward Laws, MD
- Outcomes for Neurosurgical Patients
PI: Elizabeth Claus, MD, PhD
- Retrospective Review of Imaging Characteristics of Patients with Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
- Biomarkers in Stroke and Intracerebral Hemorrhage
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- The GLIOGENE (Glioma Genetics) Study
PI: Elizabeth Claus, MD, PhD
- Risk Factors and Outcomes for Glioma (GLIOGENE International Case/Control Study)
PI: Elizabeth Claus, MD, PhD
- Three-Dimensional Angiography for Intraoperative Neuronavigation During Intracranial Tumor Resection: A Technical Note and Case Series
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
- Genetics of Intracranial Vessels
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- Gene Expression in Cerebral Aneurysms
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- Identification of Delirium Biomarkers Using Multimodal Sensor Data from the E4 Wristband Wearable Device
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Radiographic Analysis of Image-Guidance Technology to Improve Accuracy and Reduce Iatrogenic Hemorrhage Associated with Ventriculostomy
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Image and Function Guided Surgery of Brain Lesions
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Brain Basis of Memory Studied by fMRI and Intracranial EEG
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Digital Phenotyping of the Neurosurgical Patient: Towards More Effective Post-Operative Care – A Pilot Study
PI: Timothy R. Smith, MD, PhD, MPH
- Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Spine Surgery
PI: Michael Groff, MD
- Biomarkers of Traumatic Brain Injury
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Intraoperative Stereotactic Molecular Imaging of Brain Tumor Margins
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Incidence of C2 Dysesthesia After C1 Lateral Mass Screws: Comparison Between Techniques of C2 Nerve Sectioning and C2 Nerve Preservation
PI: Michael Groff, MD
- Retrospective Review of Patients Undergoing Arthroplasty vs ACDF
PI: John Chi, MD, MPH
- GWAS Database for Aneurysms
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- Nanoscale Imaging of Neuromuscular Diseases
PI: E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD
- Retrospective Review of Transitional Care from Hospital to Discharge
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Management of CNS Disorders Using Functional and Stereotactic Neurosurgical Interventions: Identifying Differentiating Features and Predictors of Improved Outcomes, in order to Improve Quality of Care
PI: G. Rees Cosgrove, MD
- Retrospective Analysis of the Operative Management of Chronic Subdural Hematomas Following a Modified Technique for Introduction of a Subdural Catheter
PI: John Chi, MD, MPH
- Diagnosis and Management of Rare CNS Lesions: Identifying Differentiating Features and Predictors of Improved Outcomes, in order to Improve Quality of Care
PI: Timothy R. Smith, MD, PhD, MPH
- Genetic Epidemiology of Cerebral Aneurysms
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- Clinical Implications of Pipeline Embolization of Paraclinoidal Aneurysms
PI: M. Ali Aziz-Sultan, MD
- The Impact of Medical School Research Funding on Career Choices
PI: Timothy R. Smith, MD, PhD, MPH
- Long-term Outcomes for Neurosurgical Patients with Intra-Cranial Neoplasms
PI: Elizabeth Claus, MD, PhD
- Database of Skull Based Surgery Outcomes
PI: Linda Bi, MD, PhD
- Degenerative Spine Disease – Characteristics, Treatments and Complications
PI: John Chi, MD, MPH
- Neurovascular Disease Study
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- Spine Surgery Discharge Disposition
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Evaluation and Treatment of Neurosurgical Disorders
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Craniectomy Associated Complications
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Dural AVF Study
PI: Rose Du, MD, PhD
- Medical Complications in Patients with Intracranial Hemorrhage Managed in the NICU
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Analyzing Semantic Differences in the Documented Clinical Histories of Patients Undergoing Different Methods of Spinal Surgical Intervention
PI: Michael Groff, MD
- Non-Invasive Collection of Physiologic Data Using a Novel Diffuse Optical Tomography Device for Measurement of Cerebral Oximetry in Intracranial Stroke: A Prospective, Non-Randomized, Single Center, Single Arm, Observational Physiologic Data Collection Trial
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Indocyanine Green Angiography Guidance in Cranial Neurosurgery
PI: Linda Bi, MD, PhD
- Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for Meningiomas
PI: Timothy R. Smith, MD, PhD, MPH
- Use of Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Interventional MRI Implantation of Deep Brain Stimulation Electrodes
PI: G. Rees Cosgrove, MD
- Efficacy of 68Ga-DOTATATE PET/CT in the Diagnosis of Ectopic ACTH Secreting Tumors After Failed Surgery for Cushings Disease
PI: Edward Laws, MD
- Biomarkers in Urine
PI: William Gormley, MD, MPH, MBA
- Meningioma Segmentation Public Database
PI: Linda Bi, MD, PhD
- 5-ALA Intraoperative Fluorescence Imaging of Brain Tumors
PI: Alexandra Golby, MD
- Machine learning of CT imaging for stroke patients
PI: Omar Arnaout, MD
- Retrospective analysis of the outcomes of patients managed with Coflex Interlaminar Stabilization device
PI: Yi Lu, MD, PhD
- Radiographic Changes in Spinal Biomechanics after Thoracolumbar Fusion
PI: Yi Lu, MD, PhD
