Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

This study is testing whether adding an extra 'boost' dose of radiation to standard spine radiation treatment helps control cancer that has spread to the spine better. It aims to see if this approach keeps tumors from growing longer, reduces pain, and causes fewer long-term side …

This early-stage study is testing whether a special helmet that uses focused ultrasound can safely and temporarily open the blood-brain barrier in adults with glioblastoma. The goal is to help standard chemotherapy drugs reach the brain tumor more effectively. Researchers will en…

This study is testing if very low doses of an existing epilepsy drug, levetiracetam, can calm down overactive brain signals in people who are at risk for Alzheimer's disease but don't yet have symptoms. It involves 40 adults in Toronto with a family history of Alzheimer's and min…

This study aims to find out which of two common surgical skin cleaning solutions works better to prevent infections after revision hip or knee replacement surgery. It will compare chlorhexidine-alcohol solution to povidone-iodine solution in 400 patients. The main goal is to see …

This study is testing whether using a genetic test to choose between two blood-thinning medications (clopidogrel or ticagrelor) works better than the standard approach for preventing another stroke. It involves 100 adults who recently had a stroke or mini-stroke caused by narrowe…

This study is testing whether a shorter, two-session radiation treatment is as effective as the standard five-session treatment for men with low-risk prostate cancer. The main goal is to see if the shorter treatment can better preserve patients' sexual quality of life and cause f…

This study is testing a new way to treat large brain tumors that have spread from other cancers. Doctors are combining two different radiation machines over several sessions, with a break in between, hoping to target the tumor more precisely. The goal is to better control the can…

This study is testing if using inhaled sedatives (gases) instead of standard IV sedatives can help reduce severe confusion (delirium) in children who are critically ill and need a breathing machine. It's a pilot study to see if the plan works before a larger trial. About 60 child…

This large hospital trial is testing different treatment strategies for serious bloodstream infections caused by certain bacteria. It will enroll 2,500 patients across Canada to compare approaches like when to switch antibiotics, which oral antibiotics work best, and whether to r…

This study follows people for 3 years after they receive a focused ultrasound treatment for severe hand tremor that doesn't improve with medications. Researchers want to see if the tremor reduction lasts long-term and how it affects people's daily lives and brain health. About 24…

This early-stage trial is testing whether a special ultrasound helmet can safely and temporarily open the brain's protective barrier. The goal is to help deliver an immune therapy (IVIg) directly to the brain areas affected by ALS. Six participants will receive the therapy, with …

This trial aims to find out which of two common heart procedures is better for patients with severely blocked arteries and a weakened heart pump. It will compare coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI, or stenting). The main goal is…

This study is testing a more precise way to deliver radiation therapy to people with aggressive brain tumors called glioblastoma. Using a special machine that combines MRI scanning with radiation delivery, doctors can adjust the treatment daily to target the tumor more accurately…

This study is testing whether a combination of targeted radiation to the brain and/or spine, followed by a three-drug therapy, is safe and effective for people with an aggressive form of advanced breast cancer that has spread to the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It…

This study is testing if a combination of two treatments works better than the current standard for a serious complication called osteoradionecrosis (ORN), which is jawbone death that can happen after radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. It will compare standard hyperbaric…

This study aims to find out how often breast cancer spreads to the brain without causing symptoms in patients with aggressive forms of the disease. Researchers will use MRI brain scans, blood tests, and questionnaires with 100 participants who have specific types of stage IIb or …

This study is testing a program designed to prevent delirium, a common and serious state of confusion after surgery in older adults. Researchers will first test patients' memory before surgery to identify those at highest risk. Those patients and their care teams will then receiv…

This study is testing whether a sedative drug called dexmedetomidine can prevent long-term memory and thinking problems that sometimes occur after heart surgery. It will involve 2,400 patients aged 60 and older who are having planned heart surgery. Researchers will compare the dr…

This small pilot study is exploring whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can help people suffering from Long COVID. Participants with persistent symptoms like fatigue and 'brain fog' will spend time in a pressurized chamber breathing pure oxygen to see if it improves their co…

This study is testing whether a medication called duloxetine, taken before and after knee replacement surgery, can help patients use fewer opioid painkillers during recovery. Researchers will compare 150 patients with knee osteoarthritis who receive either duloxetine or a placebo…

This study is testing whether nabilone, a synthetic drug similar to cannabis, can safely and effectively treat agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. Agitation is a common and distressing symptom that speeds up the need for nursing home care and increases caregiver stress.…

This study is testing whether CBD (cannabidiol) capsules can help reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer's disease. Forty participants will try both CBD and a placebo pill in a random order over 19 weeks to see which works better. Researchers will measure changes in agitation,…

This study is testing whether watching a short virtual reality video can help reduce anxiety in people about to undergo a specialized, non-invasive brain treatment for severe hand tremor. Sixty adults scheduled for the procedure will be randomly assigned to watch one of two VR vi…

This study is testing whether a two-part treatment can help reduce apathy, a common loss of motivation, in people with Alzheimer's disease. Researchers are combining a stimulant medication (methylphenidate) with a gentle, non-invasive brain stimulation technique. The goal is to s…

This is a small, early-stage study to see if a new pain relief method is practical for people with broken ribs. The method, called cryoneurolysis, uses extreme cold to temporarily freeze the nerves that send pain signals from the broken ribs. Researchers will enroll 24 patients t…

This study is testing whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)—where patients breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber—can help reduce chronic pelvic pain in women with endometriosis. Researchers will compare standard treatments alone to standard treatments plus HBOT in 64 wo…

This study is exploring whether testing spinal fluid can better detect cancer that has spread to the brain or its lining compared to standard blood tests. Researchers will collect spinal fluid and blood from 60 patients with solid tumors, including those with and without brain me…

This study aims to create a new training program to help operating room staff work more comfortably and safely. Researchers will observe surgical teams and then develop a simulation-based curriculum to teach better body mechanics and equipment setup. The goal is to reduce the phy…

This study is testing a new type of MRI scan that can take pictures of chemical activity inside the heart. Researchers will give 112 participants, some with high blood pressure or thickened heart muscle, a special injection and then scan their hearts. The goal is to see if this n…

This study is testing a new type of MRI scan to see if it can help doctors better understand brain tumors that have spread from other cancers. Researchers want to see if this scan, which looks at tumor metabolism, can predict how well a tumor will respond to targeted radiation tr…

This study is testing if watching a 360-degree virtual reality (VR) tour helps medical students find their way in a new hospital better than watching a regular 2D video. Researchers will time 44 students as they try to find a specific location after watching one type of video. Th…