The Experimental Medicine and Immunotherapeutics division has a strong record in clinical research. Our interests are mainly in the field of hypertension and cardiovascular medicine. The clinical trials are run from Level 3 of the Addenbrooke’s Centre for Clinical Investigation (ACCI) from the Clinical Investigation Ward and the Vascular Research Clinics. We run large-scale clinical trials looking at drug therapy in hypertension as well as longitudinal collaborative studies investigating novel risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Past examples of physiological and interventional clinical trials include the AngloCardiff Collaborative Trial (ACCT) studies, PEXIVAS, RITAZAREM and ALEVIATE studies. We are increasingly using imaging modalities such as PET-CT and MRI to understand and characterise cardiovascular conditions such as vascular inflammation, adrenal function and arterial stiffness. We use a number of non-invasive techniques to look at vascular and endothelial function. Some information about PIs interested in clinical research is in the table below. More information about our interests in clinical research may also be found under individual PI pages. Also listed below is a brief summary of current clinical trials / studies within the EMIT Unit. We are also closely associated with the new Cambridge University Health Partners’ Clinical Trials Unit, with one of our PIs being its Director.
Details
Professor Ian Wilkinson : Director of the new Cambridge University Health Partners’ Clinical Trials Unit. Research interests in physiology and pharmacology of the cardiovascular system, in particular the large arteries.
Dr Joseph Cheriyan : Director of the Cardiovascular Clinical Trials Office, Cambridge University Hospitals & Vice Chair, Cambridge Central Ethics Committee. Clinical trials / studies to investigate the role of novel therapeutic agents on vascular function.
Professor David Jayne : Director of the Vasculitis and Lupus Service, Addenbrooke’s Hospital
Dr Carmel McEniery : Detailed physiological phenotyping of the cardiovascular system to understand the factors regulating blood pressure and vascular function in health and disease.
Current EMIT Clinical Research Studies / Trials
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| ACCT | ACCT – The Anglo-Cardiff Collaborative Trial is a series of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies investigating the mechanisms underlying changes in blood pressure and arterial stiffening across the adult age-span. Specific research themes include:
|
| AIM HY - INFORM | ComparIsoN oF Optimal Hypertension RegiMens - INFORM (Part of the Ancestry Informative Markers in Hypertension - AIM HY Study) |
| AWE | Influence of Age, Weight and Ethnic background on blood pressure |
| CALCIFICATION | Is isolated systolic hypertension and/or low bone mineral denisty associated with an increase in aortic calcification? |
| CHALK | Identifying vascular Calcification and inflammation in patients witH end-stage renAL disease by PET CT and protein biomarKers |
| DEFINE | A Series of Pilot Studies to Evaluate the haemoDynamic and mEtabolic Effects oF apelIn aNd rElaxin (DEFINE) |
| DRINK | Determining the feasibility of randomisation to high versus ad libitum water intake in Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease: The DRINK Randomised Feasibility Trial |
| ENHANCE | Evaluation of nitric oxide and catecholamine sensitivity in patients with autonomic neuropathy. |
| ENIGMA | The predictive value of cardiac output and arterial stiffness for future hypertension |
| Endothelial Dysfunction in Renal Transplantation | Does receiving a kidney transplant stimulate the immune system which then contributes to endothelial dysfunction? |
| INTENSITY-LOW | Investigating the lowest threshold of vascular benefits from LDL cholesterol lowering with a PCSK9 mab Inhibitor (alirocumab) in healthy volunteers – A mechanistic physiological study |
| INTENSITY-HIGH | Investigating the Lowest Threshold of Vascular Benefits From LDL Cholesterol Lowering in Patients With Stable CV Disease (INTENSITY-HIGH) |
| ERICA | Investigating the role of inflammation in the development of complications of lung disease outside of the lung (recruiting patients with COPD). |
| KARMA | What is the effect of kidney donation on bone-mineral metabolism and arterial stiffness? |
| LILACS | Low dose interleukin-2 in stable ischaemic heart disease and acute coronary syndrome. Using immuno-modulation to treat inflammation in the heart to prevent heart attacks and heart disease progression |
| LINKED | Investigation of the impact of germ Line variation IN the K channel KCNJ5 on the rEnin-angiotensin axis and alDosterone release in human subjects |
| MISSION-liver v1.0 (Hyperpoleriser) | Physiological study comparing hyperpolarised carbon-13 labelled pyruvate (13C pyruvate) metabolism in normal tissues and tumours |
| OPERA-CKD | Evaluating the Effect of Standard-of-care Erythropoiesis-stimulating Agents on Forearm Blood Flow in Nondialysis-dependent Subjects With Anaemia Associated With Chronic Kidney Disease. (OPERA-CKD) |
| PEXIVAS | Plasma exchange and reduced glucocorticoid dosing in severe ANCA vasculitis |
| PRIME | A study of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic responses in healthy and altered human cardiovascular systems (PRIME) |
| REVEAL-Vasc | A cross-sectional REVEAL sub-study evaluating the effect of anacetrapib on vascular function and arterial stiffness |
| RITAZAREM | Rituximab or azathioprine for remission maintenance of ANCA vasculitis |
| SAVE-UK | Proof-of-Concept Trial on Selective Removal of the Antiangiogenic Factor Soluble Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase-1 (sFlt-1) in Pregnant Women with Preeclampsia via Apheresis Utilizing the Flt-1 Adsorption Column |
| ALEVIATE | Phase II dose ranging trial of alemtuzumuab in refractory vasculitis |
| SIMPLIFIED | SIMPLIFIED (Survival Improvement with Colecalciferol in Patients on Dialysis) is a large (n=4200) NIHR funded trial led by Cambridge (PI Nick Pritchard) enrolling incident and prevalent dialysis patients. Phase 4, multicentre, open-label, blinded-endpoint, randomised, parallel-group trial, cholecalciferol 60,000 IU fortnightly by mouth versus standard care - HD and PD eligible. |
| VERIFY | Validation of the Analysis Methodology Behind the Use of Quantitative 18F-FDG PET/CT to Assess Lung Inflammation (VERIFY) |
