Clinical trials

Oxford Sedentariness, Obesity and Cardiometabolic risk in adolescents

The OxSOCRATES study, funded by the British Heart Foundation, aims to understand how we can keep the hearts and arteries of young people healthy, so that we can prevent them from becoming adults who might have a heart attack or stroke in later life.

We are looking for volunteers:

• Aged 11-18 years
• All fitness levels and body type and particularly those with low activity or who are overweight
• Oxfordshire-based
• Travel costs reimbursed 
• Participants receive vouchers
• Eligible participants will join free, fun, online fitness sessions.

OxSOCRATES is 'Oxford Sedentariness, Obesity and Cardiometabolic risk in adolescents - a trial of exercise in schools' study at the University of Oxford, led by Dr. Alexander Jones (PI). The University of Oxford Ethics Committee has approved this study (Ref: R54302/RE005).

Watch this video to hear from the experts: The OxSOCRATES Study - Preventing adult heart disease by improving childhood health (youtube.com)

Contact: 07423 474923 or OXSOCRATES@MEDSCI.OX.AC.UK

Spinal Muscular Atrophy - newborn screening research

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare, but treatable, genetic disease affecting approximately 1 in 10,000 births, and it typically presents in infancy and early childhood. The conditions can begin within the first 3 months of a child’s life. In children with the most common and severe type of SMA, 95% of all motor neurons can be lost before the age of 6 months. Most children with this type of SMA, if untreated, will not survive beyond 2 years of age without permanent ventilator support. Many children who survive will not be able to sit or walk independently.

Our newborn screening study aims to make it possible to detect SMA within days of birth, before symptoms develop, so that any affected newborn can receive diagnosis and treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.

SMA is not currently screened for as part of the newborn screening programme. This screening test can be done on the blood spot that is already being taken as part of the standard newborn screening programme. This means no extra blood samples will be needed.

We hope that the findings from this study will help the National Screening Committee decide whether SMA screening should be included in the UK newborn screening programme.

For more information and to join the study, please go to: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) — Nuffield Department of Women's & Reproductive Health (ox.ac.uk)

Do something amazing and help us investigate malaria

We are looking for volunteers to help us understand how our immune systems respond to repeated infection with malaria. By taking part in this challenge study, you could help the research aimed at preventing hundreds of thousands of child deaths. The study is being run by the Oxford Vaccine Group, in partnership with the Department of Biochemistry, which are part of the University of Oxford.

If you are aged 18 to 45 years old, in good health and live in the Thames Valley area, you may be eligible to take part. The total study duration is 20 months. We will provide reimbursement for your time, inconvenience and travel. You will receive up to £9,955 if you remain in the study for the entire study period.

If you are interested in finding out more, please visit our website: http://trials.ovg.ox.ac.uk/trials/bio-004  where you can access the Participant Information Sheet.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus and S. Pneumoniae challenge coinfection study

You are invited to take part in a challenge study to investigate RSV and SPN co-infection to understand how these two common germs alter the nose environment and impact human health. The study is being run by the Oxford Vaccine Group (as part of the University of Oxford) and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. It is funded by Pfizer Inc.

If you are 18 to 55 years old and in good health, then you may be eligible to take part. We will deliberately expose participants in safe and controlled conditions to either RSV or pneumococcus first through drops in the nose. After this, participants will receive the other infection seven days later. Participants will be asked to self-isolate at home or remain in a medical facility after RSV exposure for up to 10 days to reduce risk to transmission to others. We will provide up to £3130 total reimbursement amount for your time, inconvenience and travel. Find out more at https://trials.ovg.ox.ac.uk/trials/respecct 

Volunteers wanted to help find a vaccine against Malaria

The Oxford Vaccine Group, in partnership with the Department of Biochemistry, is seeking healthy volunteers to take part in a challenge study to find a vaccine against malaria. If you are aged 18 to 45 years old, in good health and able to travel to Oxford, then you may be eligible to take part in the study. All participants will be reimbursed for their time, inconvenience and travel up to £1880. The total study participation time is 18-26 months.

Please visit: https://trials.ovg.ox.ac.uk/trials/BIO-001 to find out more. If you would like any further information regarding the study, please contact info@ovg.ox.ac.uk or Tel: 01865 611400

Volunteers wanted for new COVID-19 Human Challenge Study

Imperial College London, in collaboration with The University of Oxford, and funded by the Wellcome Trust, are conducting a new human infection study (also known as a human challenge study) with SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. We are looking for healthy volunteers aged 18 – 30 years old to take part in the challenge which will involve a screening visit at the CCVTM or Oxford EMCRF, and a quarantine stay at Oxford EMCRF during which volunteers will be deliberately infected with the COVID-19 virus and carefully monitored until discharge. This will be followed by five follow-up visits over the course of 12 months at the CCVTM or Oxford EMCRF.

If you are eligible to take part, you will be paid up to £4,470 for time and inconvenience. This study follows on from the first COVID-19 human infection study carried out by researchers from Imperial, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and the clinical company hVIVO last year. Go to COVID-19 Human Challenge Study: COVHIC002 | Trials - Oxford Vaccine Group to find out more and to register your interest.

Help develop a much-needed vaccine against Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever!

If you are aged 18 to 55 years old, in good health and live in the Oxfordshire area, then you may be eligible to take part in the Oxford Vaccine Group study investigating a new vaccine against Crimea-Congo haemorrhagic fever virus. All participants will be reimbursed between £1110 and £1470 for their time, inconvenience, and travel.

For further information please visit: https://trials.ovg.ox.ac.uk/trials/cchf; Or contact the Oxford Vaccine Group at info@ovg.ox.ac.uk Tel: 01865 611400.

REC reference: 23/LO/0420