Our Mission
The University of Florida Neurology department strives to push the boundaries of clinical care by developing cutting age therapeutics and integrated multidisciplinary care. An integral part of this mission is a high-quality clinical trial system that is patient-centered and efficient, enabling reliable and timely access to evidence-based therapeutic prevention and treatment options.
Clinical trials
Interested in Participating?
There are multiple trials in Neurology currently recruiting at UF. If you are interested in research, please contact our clinical trial research coordinator: Julie Segura at Julie.Segura@neurology.ufl.edu.
We recommend also that you check the studies available through ClinicalTrials.gov for a full list and description of studies recruiting for your disorder of interest. Note that ClinicalTrials.gov will list studies available at not only UF, but also those ongoing at other institutions, some even outside the United States. Be careful to note whether a study is completed, paused, not-yet-recruiting, or actively recruiting. The ClinicalTrials.gov website has a way to search and filter trials to help you quickly find the one in which you are interested.
We are currently conducting trials in the following areas
Memory and Dementia
We have learned a lot about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the last few decades. The field of neurology is striving to hopefully one day develop a cure for these disorders.
At the University of Florida, we are evaluating the different genetic factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease in African Americans.
Multiple Sclerosis
The management of multiple sclerosis (MS) has significantly changed from what it was a decade ago. This is in large due to the participation of a large number of MS patients in clinical trials.
A new subcutaneous agent for the management of multiple sclerosis is investigated at UF. This study will provide additional options for patients with aggressive MS that require access to highly effective therapies.
In addition, our newly created MS Center is developing a database of patients suffering from fatigue.
Neurocritical Care
There is an unmet need in advancing therapeutic approaches in neurocritical care. This field is in its infancy of implementation of translational research, and most of clinical practice is led by expert opinion-derived guidelines informed by studies with low quality of evidence. The Neurocritical Care division at the University of Florida is committed to bringing innovative and creative perspectives to complex scientific questions and engaging in transdisciplinary team science to stimulate new lines of research bridging the frontiers of neuroscience, anesthesia, critical care medicine, neurology, cardiology, traumatology and neurosurgery.
Neuromuscular Disorders
A large number of disorders are classified under neuromuscular including ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) and CMT (Charcot Marie Tooth).
Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders
Movement disorders encompass a large group of disorders including Parkinson disease, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy,
Friedreich Ataxia, Spinocerebellar Ataxia, and Huntington disease.
Stroke and other Neurovascular Disorders
We have both treatment and other types of studies for Neurovascular diseases.
Traumatic Brain Injury
At UF, we offer comprehensive traumatic brain injury (TBI) care and this reflects on the scope of the active clinical studies.
Some studies are “registry” studies, these studies follow the patients with TBI over time and use the data collected for a better understanding of care needs and correlating outcomes with exam and history features. Other studies evaluate the functional (gait, dexterity) and the cognitive (memory and thinking) changes. Still others evaluate the changes on brain imaging associated with TBI.
Research Questions and Answers
Through research and your generous participation, we can improve medical knowledge and develop new treatments. Thank you for considering participating in research. Below is a list of frequently asked questions. In addition, you will find some videos developed by the Office for Human Research and Protections (HHS.gov) that provide some basic information about research. For other questions, please contact our clinical trial research coordinator: Julie Segura at Julie.Segura@neurology.ufl.edu
What is Research?
This video provides basic information about scientific research, the goals of research, and discusses how clinical research differs from medical care. (3:00)
What are Clinical Trials?
This video discusses types of human research with a focus on clinical trials and explains common terms that potential participants should know. (4:20)
What can you tell me about research at UF?
The Department of Neurology at the University of Florida seeks to provide the most cutting-edge therapies. We are proud to provide multidisciplinary patient centered care for all patients. Our goal is to provide the most promising and innovative clinical trials that look at new treatments, investigations and the mechanisms of neurological disease.
What are the important questions to ask prior to participating in a research study?
This video emphasizes that participating in research is voluntary and encourages potential participants to ask questions and get the information they need to decide whether to participate. (4:44)
What is randomization?
This video explains the concept of randomization in research studies and what potential participants need to know when volunteering for a study with a randomized design. (7:25)
Do I have to pay for what is going on in the trial?
Most trials are sponsored by the NIH, philanthropic organizations and the pharmaceutical companies. This allows us to provide most of the innovations and trials free of cost for more patients. They sometimes provide a small stipend for transportation and stay.
How long do trials last?
The amount of time depends on the specific trial. Sometimes trials are very quick and require just one visit if we are able to get all the information needed in that visit. Others require multiple visits. The majority of national and international trials looking at specific drugs tend to last from 3 months to a year. Patients do not need to be here the whole year, and the majority have monthly visits. Common protocol is to have three to five visits, once a month.
What do I gain from participating in a research trial?
You may or may not receive direct benefit from participating in a study, but you will be helping to further research efforts regarding your particular disease. In addition, these studies are investigating cutting-edge therapies and procedure, in the hope that they will improve patient outcome and disease progression.
Why are clinical trials important?
Clinical trials are designed to test research hypotheses in real-world settings. They provide a controlled, supervised environment to study diseases—how they develop, progress, and can be prevented or treated—or to evaluate new treatments and procedures, such as medications or surgeries.
Ultimately, clinical trials allow researchers to verify that the treatments and procedures recommended by doctors are safe and effective in improving symptoms or curing disease.
What is the clinical trial process? (consent, screening, research visits)
When you report interest in a research study, a member of our research staff will talk with you about the study and review a document called an informed consent with you. Research staff will ensure you meet the criteria to be in the study. If you meet the criteria and agree to participate, you will be scheduled for the required research visits. Various trials require different lengths of participation time which could last from days to years.
Do I have to pay to be part of clinical trials?
You do not have to pay anything to be part of a trial. A clinical trial allocates funds to cover the expenses related to the trial execution, sometimes in collaboration with your insurance. In all cases, you are not expected to pay to be part of the studies.
What research is available at the University of Florida Department of Neurology?
There is a variety of different research offered at the University of Florida. We have multiple trials that look at the most promising cutting-edge drugs or interventions for treatment of neurological disorders. We also have a lot of trials that are started by investigators at UF who want to understand the mechanisms of different neurological disorders.
If I wanted to participate in the trial, how would I do that?
If you want to participate in a trial we first have to see the patient at UF to see if you are eligible for any of the trials that are offered. Clinical trials are strict about who can and can’t participate to control the population to yield the best results. If anyone is interested in participating, there are various ways to reach us. There is a phone number and email to reach the clinical coordinators on our website.
Is there a list of clinical trials that I can look up?
There are so many new trials that change so often that a lot of information can get outdated quickly. The most updated information can be found through email or phone call. We are always available to talk to our patients about research!
What is the easiest way to get a hold of UF researchers?
To get a hold of UF call the listed phone number or you can find the clinical trial coordinators’ and experts’ email on our website. We check that email very frequently and use it to communicate with our patients.