A national multi-site clinical trial, co-led by researchers at the UNC School of Medicine, has found that therapeutic hypothermia may be harming preterm infants recovering from a specific type of brain injury.

Nina Jain, MD, MBA, professor of pediatric endocrinology, and Ali Calikoglu, MD, retired professor of pediatrics, both at the UNC School of Medicine, played a pivotal role in getting this therapy to the bedside, from assisting with clinical trials to the infusion of the first pediatric patient in North Carolina at UNC Children’s.

In May 2022, Yael Shiloh-Malawsky, MD, a neurologist at the UNC School of Medicine, met two new patients combatting a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder called Batten disease. With help from UNC, the twin girls were able to get personalized treatment from bench to bedside in record time.

Vibhor Krishna, MD, a neurosurgeon at the UNC School of Medicine, was one of 15 researchers involved in a multicenter clinical trial showing that bilateral focused ultrasound is safe for patients seeking treatment for essential tremor, including Sally Richey and Frank George, whose stories are below. UNC Hospitals also uses this technology to treat patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

The FDA has approved two medications for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)—the first oral medication tailored for adults and the exclusive therapeutic option for children. Evan Dellon, MD, MPH, internationally known for his work with EoE, and colleagues continue to focus on optimizing usage for effective, personalized outcomes.

Stage one results from the OUtMATCH clinical trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that a monoclonal antibody, omalizumab, increased the amount of peanut, tree nuts, egg, milk and wheat that multi-food allergic children as young as age one could consume without an allergic reaction. Edwin Kim, MD, Corinne Keet, MD, PhD, and Mike Kulis, PhD, are contributing authors.

A blonde woman sitting on a bench wearing a cream-colored blazer.

Cynthia L. Gay, MD, MPH, associate professor of infectious diseases, and David Margolis, MD, the Sarah Kenan Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Microbiology & Immunology, and Epidemiology in the UNC School of Medicine, published results of a clinical trial showing that vorinostat and immunotherapy may modestly shrink the latent HIV reservoir.

UNC Health is the only academic healthcare system in North Carolina and the South participating in the randomized trial, which aims to assess the safety and efficacy of a combination immunotherapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients.

Researchers in UNC School of Medicine’s Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery and collaborators at Yale Cancer Center and ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group have identified two subtypes of human papillomavirus positive head and neck cancers, giving them a better glimpse into why some patients respond better to treatment than others.

Washington, N.C man with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue experiences positive life-changing results after participating in an induction therapy clinical trial at the UNC School of Medicine.

Jennifer S. Smith, PhD, at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, UNC School of Medicine, and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, led the phase 3 controlled trial, which showed that self-collection kits and scheduling assistance are key for reaching these populations and preventing cervical cancer.

The study, called EPITOPE, led by senior author A. Wesley Burks, MD, CEO of UNC Health and dean of the UNC School of Medicine, and contributing author Edwin Kim, MD, MS, associate professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the UNC School of Medicine, shows superior results in desensitizing children to peanuts. Results were recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Tag: Clinical Trials

Therapy for Perinatal Asphyxia Does Not Benefit Preterm Infants, Study Finds

A New Therapy to Prevent or Delay Type 1 Diabetes Now Available at UNC Children’s Hospital

UNC Fast-Tracks Personalized Treatment for Twins with Ultra Rare Genetic Disorder

Bilateral Focused Ultrasound Shown to be Safe, Effective for Patients with Lingering or Severe Essential Tremor

How New Drug Approvals are Reshaping Treatment for Eosinophilic Esophagitis

Drug in OUtMATCH Clinical Trial FDA-Approved for the Reduction of Allergic Reactions from Accidental Food Exposures

New Trial Highlights Incremental Progress Towards a Cure for HIV-1

New, Promising Clinical Trial for Glioblastoma Starting at UNC Health

Two Subtypes of HPV-associated Head and Neck Cancers Predict Treatment Outcomes

Clinical Trial Improves Man’s Quality of Life with Tongue Cancer

HPV Self-Collection Kits Increase Screening Among Under-screened, Under-served Women in North Carolina

12 Months of Treatment with EPIT Superior to Placebo in Desensitizing Children to Peanuts