Research
Redefining Care
Sometimes, the standard of care is not enough. That’s when Grady research offers hope.
As one of the nation’s elite teaching hospitals, our clinicians are continually involved in research to find better, more effective treatments. We are committed to investigations that will ultimately end the cancer. Physicians, oncologists, surgeons, and other cancer experts from the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory, Emory and Morehouse schools of medicine, and Grady Health System collaborate on research whose mission is to improve cancer treatments, test the effectiveness of new drugs, and transform cancer care.
On any given day, our experts are involved in literally dozens of cancer studies – from clinical trials to laboratory experiments. Grady’s history of research has helped to redefine how physicians worldwide treat cancer, stroke and other diseases. The benefit to patients is clear: They have access to tomorrow’s medicine today, providing options unavailable at many other institutions.
The center earned the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) Certification which is awarded to outpatient hematology-oncology practices that meet the highest, national standards for delivering quality cancer care. Grady is the first public hospital in Georgia to receive this recognition.
Clinical Trials
Clinical trials are an important part of our research. While science provides more insight into the causes of cancer, clinical trials help translate this information into better care for cancer patients. Our patients have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials related to cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Biomolecular Effects of Topical Curcumin in HSIL Cervical Neoplasia (NCT02944578 )
Study PI: Dr. Lisa Flowers
A Pilot Study of Nelfinavir for the Treatment of Kaposi Sarcoma Version 3.0 (NCT03077451 )
Study PI: Dr. Lisa Flowers
A Randomized Phase III Trial Comparing Axillary Lymph Node Dissection to Axillary Radiation in Breast Cancer Patients (Ct1-3 N1) Who Have Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NCT01901094)
Study PI: Dr. Preeti Subhedar, Dr. Keerthi Gogineni
A Phase II Multi-Institutional Study of Concurrent Radiotherapy, Palbociclib, and Hormone Therapy for Treatment of Bone Metastasis in Breast Cancer Patients (NCT03691493)
Study PI: Dr. Mylin Torres, Dr. Jolinta Lin
FDG PET to Assess Therapeutic Response in Patients with Bone-Dominant Metastatic Breast Cancer, FEATURE (NCT04316117)
Study PI: Dr. Keerthi Gogineni
The COMPASSHER2 Trials (Comprehensive Use of Pathologic Response Assessment to Optimize Therapy in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer): COMPASSHER2 Residual Disease (RD), A Double-Blinded, Phase III Randomized Trial of T-DM1 and Placebo Compared with T-DM1 and Tucatinib (NCT04457596)
Study PI: Dr. Suchita Pakkala
A Phase III, Double-blind, Randomised Study to Assess Switching to AZD9833 (a Next Generation, Oral SERD) + CDK4/6 Inhibitor (Palbociclib or Abemaciclib) vs Continuing Aromatase Inhibitor (Letrozole or Anastrozole)+ CDK4/6 Inhibitor in HR+/HER2-MBC Patients With Detectable ESR1Mutation Without Disease Progression During 1L Treatment With Aromatase Inhibitor+ CDK4/6 Inhibitor- A ctDNA Guided Early Switch Study (NCT04964934)
Study PI: Dr. Keerthi Gogineni
A Randomized Phase II Study of Nivolumab After Combined Modality Therapy (CMT) in High-Risk Anal Cancer (NCT03233711)
Study PI: Dr. Olatunji Alese
Randomized Phase II Study of Platinum and Etoposide versus Temozolomide and Capecitabine in Patients with Advanced G3 Non-Small Cell Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Carcinomas (NCT02595424)
Study PI: Dr. Olatunji Alese
Randomized Double-Blind Phase III Trial of Vitamin D3 Supplementation in Patients With Previously Untreated Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (SOLARIS) (NCT04094688)
Study PI: Dr. Christina Wu, Dr. Olatunji Alese
Phase III Randomized Trial of Standard Combination Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) in High-Risk Prostate Cancer (with Initial Phase I) (NCT04037254)
Study PI: Dr. Mehmet Bilen, Dr. Bassel Nazha
Study of advanced PET-CT directed post-prostatectomy radiotherapy to enhance prostate cancer outcomes (NCT03762759)
Study PI: Dr. Ashesh Jani, Dr. Jay Shelton
Phase III IGRT and SBRT Vs IGRT and Hypofractionated IMRT for Localized Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer (NCT03367702)
Study PI: Dr. Ashesh Jani
International Penile Advanced Cancer Trial (International Rare Cancers Initiative study) (NCT02305654)
Study PI: Dr. Mehmet Bilen
Genistein Supplementation to Mitigate Cardiometabolic Dysfunction in Patients Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy for Prostate Cancer (NCT02766478)
Study PI: Dr. Mehmet Bilen
Phase II trial of Pembrolizumab and Lenvatinib in Advanced/metastatic Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer [PLANE-PC] (NCT04848337)
Study PI: Dr. Bassel Nazha
Multi-Cancer and Comorbidity Blood Sample Collection for Cross-Reactivity Analysis for a Multiomics Screening
Study PI: Dr. Julia Liu
MMRC060: Phase II Trial of MLN9708, Dexamethasone and Lenalidomide, Randomized with NF-kB2 Truncation. (Proteasome Inhibitor NF-kB2 Rearrangement Driven Trial, PINR) (NCT02765854)
Study PI: Leon Bernal-Mizrachi
A Phase II/III randomized study of R-miniCHOP with or without oral azacitidine (CC-486) in participants age 75 years or older with newly diagnosed diffuse large B cell lymphoma, Grade IIIb Follicular Lymphoma, transformed lymphoma, and high-grade B-cell lymphomas with MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 rearrangements. (NCT04799275)
Study PI: Leon Bernal-Mizrachi
Outcomes of Limited Stage Plasmablastic Lymphoma
Study PI: Leon Bernal-Mizrachi
Phase III Trial of Observation Versus Irradiation for a Gross Totally Resected Grade II Meningioma (NCT03180268)
Study PI: Dr. Jay Shelton
A Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Prophylactic Cranial Irradiation with or without Hippocampal Avoidance for Small Cell Lung Cancer (NCT02635009)
Study PI: Dr. Kristin Higgins
A Randomized Phase II/III Trial of De-intensified Radiation Therapy for Patients with Early-Stage, p16-Positive, Non-Smoking Associated Oropharyngeal Cancer (NCT03952585)
Study PI: Dr. David Yu, Dr. Jay Shelton
A Phase 2 Trial of Hypofractionated Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy for Benign Intracranial Tumors (NCT04278118)
Study PI: Dr. Bree Eaton, Dr. Jay Shelton
Maintenance Systemic Therapy Versus Consolidative Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) Plus Maintenance Systemic Therapy for Limited Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): A Randomized Phase II/III Trial (NCT03137771)
Study PI: Dr. Kristin Higgins, Dr. Jay Shelton
Phase I Trial of Accelerated or Conventionally Fractionated Radiotherapy Combined With MEDI4736 (durvalumab) in PD-L1 High Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) (ARCHON-1) (NCT03801902)
Study PI: Dr. Kristin Higgins, Dr. Jay Shelton
Limited Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer (LS-SCLC): A Phase II/III Randomized Study of Chemoradiation Versus Chemoradiation Plus Atezolizumab (NCT03811002)
Study PI: Dr. Suchita Pakkala
ASP-1929-301: A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Arm, Open-Label, Controlled Trial of ASP-1929 Photoimmunotherapy Versus Physician’s Choice Standard of Care for the Treatment of Locoregional, Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Patients Who Have Failed or Progressed On or After at Least Two Lines of Therapy, of Which at Least One Line Must be Systemic Therapy (NCT03769506)
Study PI: Dr. Charles Moore
A Randomized, Phase III Study of First line Immunotherapy Alone or in Combination with Chemotherapy in Induction/Maintenance or Postprogression in Advanced Nonsquamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) with Immunobiomarker SIGNature-driven Analysis (NCT03793179)
Study PI: Joan Cain
Qualification of A Multi-Dimensional Electronic Pain Diary in Children, Adolescents and Adults with Sickle Cell Disease
Study PI: Dr. Lakshmanan Krishnamurti, Dr. Morgan McLemore
BRCA 1 Gene Research
Dr. Veena N. Rao, Morehouse School of Medicine professor and co-director of the Cancer Biology Program in Grady’s OB/GYN Department, has dedicated her research to better understanding the BRCA1 gene and its mutations to improve the early detection and treatment of African American women with breast cancer.
Her research has led to the development of a patented technology, which when combined with BRCA1 DNA-based testing, promises to revolutionize early detection of hereditary triple negative breast cancers (TNBC), foster development of novel targeted therapies, and save countless lives.
Research at Grady
The Breast Satellite Tissue Bank at Emory University (incorporated WCI1665-09 and WCI1679-09)
Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking – Genetics
Dr. Sheryl Gabram
Automated Assessment of Limb Volume Utilizing the Xbox Kinect
Cancer Prevention and Control
Patel
The Relationship Between the Human Microbiome and Pt. Symptom Experience in Women Undergoing Combined Modality Thepary for Breast Cancer (SPECTRA)
Cancer Prevention and Control
A011202: A Randomized Phase III Trial Comparing Axillary Lymph Node Dissection to Axillary Radiation in Breast Cancer Patients (Ct1-3 N1) Who Have Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Disease after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Cancer Prevention and Control
Acquisiton of diagnostic biospy
Cancer Related Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking
Acquisition of metastatic biopsy
Cancer Related Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking
Isolation of nucleic acids from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin Embedded (FFPE) breast tumor tissue for downstream genomic-based analyses: Towards the individualization of breast cancer treatment
Diagnostic – Cancer Related Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking
Advanced Molecular Imaging with anti-3-[18F]FACBC PET-CT to Improve the Selection and Outcomes of Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving Post-prostatectomy Radiotherapy
Diagnostic
Liu/Dr. Ashesh Jani
Ultrasound Tissue-Typing for Prostate Cancer Detection
Diagnostic
Howard Health Literacy Observational Study
QOL/Economics – Cancer Prevention and Control
Gynecologic Cancer, the Vaginal Microbiome, and Patient Symptom Experience
Cancer Prevention and Control
Biomolecular Effects of Topical Curcumin in HSIL Cervical Neoplasia
Cancer Prevention and Control
Dr. Gabriela Oprea/Dr. Lisa C. Flowers
Biomarkers of Vaginal and Vulvar Cancers
Cancer Related Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking
Atypical squamous cells of undetermined origin (ASC-US) colposcopic and surgical-pathology follow-up including immunoperoxidase stains for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) relevant markers in high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) tested and not tested patients.
Diagnostic – Cancer Related Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking
Liu
WCI1858-10: Quantitative Ultrasound Evaluation of Radiation Toxicity in Head and Neck Cancer Radiotherapy
Diagnostic
HPV and Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Emory Experience
Genetics
Dr. Lisa C. Flowers/Dr. Leon Bernal
MAYO118-01: Lymphoma Molecular Epidemiologic Resource: Clinical and Epidemiological Studies of Lymphoma
Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking – Genetics
LEAD (866-2004): Assessing Treatment Outcomes for Patients with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
Observational
Sica/ Birdsong /Oprea
The Human Tissue Procurement and banking Services (HTPBS) Core Facility of Emory Healthcare System (EHcS) and Emory University
Bio-Repository/Bio-Banking
Flenaugh
All in One – Multicenter, Prospectie triAL of ELectromagnetic BronchoscOpic and ElectromagNetic Transthoracic Approaches for the Biopsy of Peripheral Pulmonary Nodules
Diagnostic
Flenaugh
Correlation of Tumor Diameter and Volumetric Measurements in Lung Cancer and Prognostic Implication Using Tip-tracked Navigation System
Diagnostic and Staging
If you are interested in performing research at Grady, find out how to begin by visiting our Office of Research Administration.