Clinical Research Directory

Vascular Disease Discovery Protocol

Background: Some genetic diseases put increase the risk of heart and blood diseases, which are the number one cause of death and disability in the U.S. Researchers want to study diseases of the heart and/or blood vessels. They want to collect data and specimens from affected people, their family members, and healthy people. Objective: To study diseases of the heart and/or blood vessels. Eligibility: People age 2 and older who may have genetic disease affecting the heart and/or blood vessels Their relatives Healthy volunteers Design: Participants will be screened with a medical history, physical exams, and imaging tests. Participants may have a few visits or visits for 2 weeks or more. This will depend on their age and disease status. Visits may include: Photographs of the face and body Heart tests Samples taken of blood, urine, saliva, skin, and/or tissue Scans. For some, a dye may be injected into a vein. A six-minute walk test Lung tests. For some, participants will blow into a tube. For others, they will breathe in a gas from a mask, have a small injection, then have a scan. Stress tests while walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike Ultrasound of veins and arteries Devices outside the body testing the stiffness and function of arteries Eye exam and eye tests. For some, a dye may be injected in a vein. Blood pressure tests Measurements of blood flow under the skin and in the arms and fingernail blood vessels Devices outside the body testing flexibility of the blood vessels and skin, and skin temperature

Pancreas Registry and High Risk Registry

The purpose of this study is to establish a registry of patients with pancreatic diseases. Patients included in the registry may include those with: pancreatic cancer, precancerous lesions of the pancreas, inflammatory lesions of the pancreas, cystic lesions of the pancreas, and patients at high-risk of pancreatic cancer such as those with a family history of pancreatic cancer or with a family history of a syndrome known to be associated with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of death from cancer in the United States. However, little is known about the development of pancreatic cancer and pancreatic diseases in individuals with the above conditions. Knowledge of how family history, environmental exposures, and inflammatory lesion of the pancreas contribute to the development of pancreatic cancer and pancreatic diseases is essential. You may qualify to take part in this research study because you have inflammation in the pancreas, a pancreatic cyst, pre-cancerous lesions of the pancreas, pancreatic cancer, a family history of pancreatic cancer, or a family history of a syndrome known to be associated with pancreatic cancer. We will also be collecting a blood sample from all participants for DNA isolation. Sometimes we are born with genes or DNA that give us an increased or decreased chance of developing an illness later in life. Genetic material will be isolated from your blood for further study. You may also choose to provide additional blood samples for serum and plasma extraction. Serum and plasma are components of the blood which can be used to measure indicators of disease in the blood, called biomarkers,for pancreatic diseases. Clinical data and biological specimens contained in this study may be used for a wide variety of future related studies to the cause, diagnosis, outcome and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Funds for conducting this research are provided by Mount Sinai.

Investigating Phenotypic, Epigenetic, and NeuroGenetic Traits in Rare and Ultra-rare Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Project PENGUIN)

Rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Syt-1 or Baker Gordon Syndrome (BAGOS) arise from mutations in genes essential for brain development and function, often disrupting neurotransmission and neuronal connectivity. These conditions present with a wide range of symptoms including developmental delays, seizures, motor and behavioral challenges, and vary widely in severity. These disorders are complex, and they remain poorly understood and lack effective treatments. Natural history and clinical genetic studies are crucial for mapping how these disorders progress, improving diagnostic accuracy, and guiding therapy development. A major focus is identifying reliable biomarkers (genetic, imaging, and physiological) to track disease severity and support clinical trials. This study will securely collect and analyze data to better understand disease impact, develop patient-derived model systems, and build resources to support future treatments.

Effect of Mutations in T2DM Susceptibility Genes on the Expression of Susceptibility Genes in Patients With T2DM and Controls

In this study, investigators wanted to determine the effect of T2DM susceptibility gene mutations on self-expression. Participants (T2DM patients and controls) were recruited to identify genotypes and detect the levels of T2DM susceptibility genes expression in the fresh peripheral plasma. The normal pancreatic tissues or adjacent tissues of pancreatic cancer were also collected to identify the expression differences of T2DM susceptibility genes under different genotypes.