Genes and Environment in MS (GEMS) is a longitudinal cohort study investigating how genetics and environment can lead to the onset of Multiple Sclerosis. We are recruiting first-degree relatives (siblings, parents, and children) of people who have been diagnosed with MS. This study involves the collection of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain,…
MS Genetics aims to better understand the genetic component of demyelinating diseases by doing genetic testing on blood samples of participants. This study involves a one-time blood draw and completion of questionnaires spread out over a couple of years in hopes to better understand the genes that makes one predisposed to Multiple Sclerosis and various…
The Columbia Otolaryngology Department is interested in understanding the intersection of vaping, smell, and taste and their impact on individuals' preferences for certain flavors. Participation will involve answering a series of questionnaires in addition to completing a formal evaluation of your smell and taste with standardized measurements. You can…
The Snapshot study aims to understand brain and spinal cord aging in healthy individuals and individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). We aim to identify new tools that will help us to achieve successful brain aging in the general population and in people with an underlying autoimmune disease. A critical aspect of this study is that we are looking for…
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the differences between immune profiles of individuals remaining on Ocrelizumab/Rituximab versus those transitioning to diroximel fumarate at two years. Baseline visits for subjects transitioning to diroximel fumarate (DRF) will take place 6 months after last Ocrelizumab (OCR) or Rituximab (RTX) dose, prior to…
We are currently recruiting individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), first-degree family members of persons with MS, and healthy individuals to take part in our research on the effects of probiotics. Our goal is to better understand how the health of the gut microbiome influences the immune system.
The use of electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigs or vaping, has increased among former smokers and young adults who have never smoked. Relatively little is known, however, about their health effects (whether they are adverse, have no effect, or are beneficial). The purpose of this research study is to evaluate (1) the association of e-cig use with…
This study will be used to evaluate the immunologic effects of Prebiotics (soluble fiber required by beneficial bacteria), in comparison to Probiotics (beneficial bacteria), in individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS).
This is a four-session study in which we will be recruiting existing cigarette smokers to explore the competitive dynamics between memory encoding and memory retrieval. To participate, you will first go through a phone screening to determine eligibility and learn about the study. Then you will be asked to visit our facility at the Morningside Campus of…
ASPIRE is a clinical trial to investigate aspirin as a treatment to improve exercise performance in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who experience overheating during exercise. Persons with multiple sclerosis benefit from exercise, but many avoid it because of exhaustion and overheating. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) tests aspirin as a method to…
The purpose of this study is to test the good and bad effects of the combined treatment, using the drugs cetuximab and avelumab as well as avelumab by itself. Avelumab is a drug that works by triggering the immune system so it can try to attack the cancer again. Avelumab works in a similar way to cemiplimab, which is the usual drug for treatment of your…
The purpose of this study is to see if ocrelizumab (study drug) will stabilize, or potentiallyimprove the signs and symptoms of your MS. Ocrelizumab is a type of drug called amonoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies act like your bodys immune system andattach to certain cells in order to attack germs and other illnesses in your body.Ocrelizumab attaches…
This study is for adult subjects with head and neck cancer (oral cavity, oropharynx middle part of the throat, hypopharynx bottom part of the throat, or larynx part of throat between the base of the tongue and the windpipe) that has either returned after treatment (recurrent) or is newly diagnosed. If newly diagnosed, the cancer must be metastatic,…
This study is for patients with melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), or squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN) that has a protein called B7-H3 on the tumor cells or blood vessels in thetumor. The purpose of this study is to test the safety, tolerability, and most effective dose ofMGA271 in combination with ipilimumab (also called Yervoy…
This study is for patients with recurrent or metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN). This study will test the safety of an experimental anti-cancer drug (MEDI4736). MEDI4736 is an antibody (a protein produced by the defense system of the body immune system) that has been made in the laboratory. MEDI4736 boosts the ability of your…
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness and safety of study drug MEDI4736 monotherapy, tremelimumab monotherapy, and MEDI4736 and tremelimumab combination therapy in the treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic PD-L1-negative squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck who have progressed during or after treatment with…