Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

This study is testing a precise type of radiation, called SBRT, for people with kidney cancer that cannot be removed with surgery. The treatment aims to control the tumor while limiting damage to healthy tissue. Researchers will track tumor control and quality of life in 70 parti…

This study compares two common heart procedures—bypass surgery (CABG) and stenting (PCI)—in 754 people with severe coronary artery disease and a weak heart pump. The goal is to see which approach better prevents death, stroke, heart attacks, or repeat procedures over 5 years. Par…

This study is testing whether giving an extra 'boost' of radiation to spinal tumors that have spread from other cancers can better control the tumor, reduce pain, and limit side effects. The trial will enroll 108 adults with confirmed or suspected solid tumors that have spread to…

This study is for people aged 65 and older with a newly diagnosed, aggressive brain cancer called glioblastoma that has a specific genetic marker (unmethylated MGMT) making standard treatment less effective. Researchers are testing a different way of giving the chemotherapy drug …

This study tests a new way to deliver radiation therapy for glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain tumor. Instead of treating a large area, doctors use MRI-guided adaptive radiation to focus more precisely on the tumor with reduced margins. The goal is to see if this approach can bet…

This study is for people with HER2+ breast cancer that has spread to the lining of the brain and spinal cord (leptomeningeal disease). It combines targeted drugs (tucatinib, trastuzumab, capecitabine) with radiation to the brain or spine. The goal is to see if this approach helps…

This study compares different antibiotic strategies for people hospitalized with Gram-negative bloodstream infections. The goal is to find which approach leads to better outcomes, like survival and fewer complications, while also reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance. About …

This large trial tests whether the sedative dexmedetomidine can prevent long-term memory and thinking problems that often follow heart surgery. Researchers will give the drug to 2,400 adults aged 60 and older during and after their operation, then track their cognitive function f…

This study looks at whether a genetic test can help doctors pick the right blood thinner for people who have had a stroke due to narrowed arteries in the brain. Some people's genes make the common drug clopidogrel less effective, so another drug, ticagrelor, may work better. The …

This study tracks 240 adults with essential tremor that doesn't improve with medication. They will receive a non-invasive procedure called MR-guided focused ultrasound, which uses sound waves to target the brain area causing tremors. Researchers will check if tremor control lasts…

This early-stage trial tests whether a special helmet that uses focused ultrasound can safely open the blood-brain barrier to deliver an anti-inflammatory drug (IVIg) directly to the motor cortex in people with ALS. Six participants will receive two doses of IVIg, with the second…

This early study tests a special helmet that uses focused ultrasound to temporarily open the blood-brain barrier in people with glioblastoma. The goal is to let more chemotherapy reach the tumor. Ten adults who have already had surgery and standard chemo will receive the ultrasou…

Radiation for head and neck cancer can sometimes cause a serious side effect: dead bone in the jaw (osteoradionecrosis). This pilot study tests whether adding a drug cocktail called PENTOCLO to standard hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps more than oxygen alone. Twenty-four adults wi…

This study tests a new way to treat large brain tumors using two different radiation machines. Patients get four daily treatments with a linear accelerator, then a break, followed by one precise Gamma Knife treatment. The goal is to better control tumors while protecting healthy …

This study is looking at whether a brain MRI can spot cancer that has spread to the brain in people with certain types of breast cancer (triple negative or HER2-positive, stage IIb or III) who have no symptoms. About 100 participants will get a contrast-enhanced brain MRI, give a…

After surgery, many older adults experience confusion or memory problems, known as delirium. This study tests a program that identifies patients at high risk before surgery and then uses simple steps—like better sleep and hydration—to prevent delirium. The program also educates f…

This pilot study is testing a new way to give radiation for prostate cancer that uses an MRI machine to guide the treatment. The goal is to give a lower dose of radiation to the whole prostate while giving a higher dose only to the main tumor, which may reduce side effects like u…

This pilot study will test whether cannabis oil is safe and feasible for treating restless legs syndrome (RLS). Thirty adults with moderate-to-severe RLS will receive either cannabis oil (with a 5:1 ratio of CBD to THC) or a placebo for 8 weeks. Researchers will track side effect…

This study tests whether doing specific mouth and tongue exercises can help people with obstructive sleep apnea who cannot use a CPAP machine. Forty-five adults will be randomly assigned to real exercises, sham exercises, or unsupervised exercises for 10 weeks. The main goal is t…

This study tests whether breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) can reduce pelvic pain in women with endometriosis. The trial will include 64 women who have moderate to severe pain and are waiting for surgery. Half will receive 40 HBOT sessions…

This study tests whether exercising before a mild brain stimulation session can improve memory in people with mild cognitive impairment linked to heart or blood vessel problems. 64 adults aged 50 and older will be randomly assigned to receive either real or sham brain stimulation…

This pilot study is testing the safety of fisetin, a natural compound found in fruits and vegetables, in 5 older adults with mild Alzheimer's or mild cognitive impairment. Participants will take fisetin daily for a period, and researchers will monitor for side effects. The goal i…

This study tests whether a single steroid injection works as well as a three-week course of steroid pills for treating rheumatoid arthritis flares. Researchers will track how patients feel, their ability to function, and their satisfaction with treatment. The goal is to help pati…

This small pilot study tests whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, can reduce apathy in people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Ten participants will receive rTMS, some also taking the medication methyl…

This study tests whether a very low dose of levetiracetam, a drug used for epilepsy, can reduce abnormal overactivity in a key memory area of the brain. It includes 40 people who have a parent or sibling with Alzheimer's and have memory concerns but still score normally on thinki…

This study is testing whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber) can improve symptoms like fatigue and brain fog in people with post-COVID syndrome. About 40 adults with long COVID will receive the treatment. The main goal is to see if a la…

This pilot study tests whether using inhaled sedatives (like isoflurane gas) instead of standard IV sedatives can reduce delirium—extreme confusion—in children who need a breathing machine. The study will enroll 60 children aged 1 month to 18 years in intensive care. The main goa…

This study tests whether nabilone, a synthetic cannabinoid, can safely reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. Agitation is common and distressing, with few good treatment options. About 112 participants will receive either nabilone or a placebo for 8 weeks, and rese…

This phase 2 trial is testing whether CBD capsules can safely reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. About 40 participants will receive both CBD and a placebo at different times to compare effects. The study also looks for biological markers that might predict who r…

This study tests whether the antidepressant duloxetine can help reduce opioid painkiller use after knee replacement surgery. About 150 adults with knee osteoarthritis will receive either duloxetine or a placebo before and after surgery. The goal is to see if duloxetine lowers opi…

This study looks at whether watching a virtual reality (VR) video can lower anxiety in people about to undergo a brain procedure (MRgFUS) for severe hand tremors. About 60 adults will be randomly assigned to watch one of two VR videos before their treatment. Researchers will meas…

This small study tests whether combining methylphenidate (a drug already used for apathy) with a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called iTBS can reduce apathy in people with Alzheimer's or mixed dementia. The trial will include 12 participants who have significant apathy…

This pilot study tests a procedure called cryoneurolysis, which uses a tiny freezing tool to temporarily numb the nerves around broken ribs. The goal is to see if it's practical to run a larger study comparing this technique plus standard pain care to standard care alone. Twenty-…

This trial compares two different schedules of MRI-guided radiation for men with low or favorable intermediate risk prostate cancer. One group gets the standard five sessions, the other gets just two sessions. The goal is to see if the shorter course can maintain cancer control w…

This pilot study is exploring whether a one-time sample of spinal fluid (taken via a lumbar puncture) can detect cancer DNA in patients with solid tumors that have spread to the brain or spinal cord. Researchers will enroll 60 participants across three groups: those with leptomen…

This study follows 100 adults who had a chest tube placed after breaking their ribs. The goal is to learn how many develop long-term nerve pain (intercostal neuralgia) and how it affects their quality of life. Researchers will track pain levels and daily function over time to bet…

This study compares two types of antiseptic skin cleaners (chlorhexidine-alcohol vs. povidone-iodine) used before repeat hip or knee replacement surgery. The goal is to see which cleaner better prevents infections or wound problems that might need another surgery within a year. A…

This study tests whether psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, changes brain activity in people with depression. Fifty participants will receive either psilocybin or a placebo and undergo MRI scans to measure blood flow and brain network connections. The goal is t…

This study aims to create a hands-on training program to teach operating room teams—surgeons, anesthesiologists, and nurses—how to work more comfortably and avoid injuries. Poor ergonomics causes pain in over half of OR staff, leading to burnout and early retirement. The project …

This early-phase study tests a new MRI method that uses a special injection called hyperpolarized pyruvate to see how the heart uses energy. Researchers will scan the hearts of up to 112 people with high blood pressure, heart thickening, or heart failure. The goal is to see if th…

This study is testing a special MRI technique that uses a substance called hyperpolarized 13C-pyruvate to look at how brain metastases (tumors that spread to the brain) use energy. The goal is to see if this scan can help doctors understand which tumors are more likely to resist …

This study tests whether immersive 360-degree virtual reality videos help medical students navigate a hospital better than standard 2D videos. Forty-four medical students will watch either a VR or 2D video showing a route, then walk it while researchers measure time, wrong turns,…