Active Studies
Would you like to participate in a vascular research study?
Please scroll down to discover active vascular studies open to patient recruitment. If you would like to take part in any of the studies below, please use the button provided with the study advertisement to contact the research team directly.
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Studies
GRASP study - open for recruitment until June 2026
Can you spare some time to take part in a research study to improve the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening programme?
The NHS's AAA screening programme invites men aged 65 to attend a local clinic for an ultrasound scan to check them for AAA. One of the things that can increase the risk of someone having an AAA is their genetics and DNA.
The GRASP Study team are looking for men aged 60 -70 to take part in a one-off online interview.
We want to know how you feel about using information from your DNA in the pathways and invitations for AAA screening.
For further information and to take part in our research please contact the study team by clicking the button below:
UK-MAT trial - Recruitment end date: June 2028
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) is a common problem in older adults, affecting approximately 5% of men and 1% of women over the age of 60. Over time, there is a risk that the AAA increases in size to the point where it requires surgical intervention, or it can rupture, which is life threatening and requires emergency surgery. Other than surgery, there is currently no known effective treatment to treat AAA’s.
The Metformin Aneurysm Trial (UK-MAT) is a randomised control trial taking place at multiple UK vascular centres. It is seeking to explore the impact of the drug Metformin (commonly used in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes) on non-diabetic patients who have been diagnosed with a small Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA), and are currently attending AAA screening.
To be eligible to participate in the study, individuals must have a AAA below the size of 49mm, diagnosed by imaging though a registered healthcare provider, and have no AAA surgical procedure planned within 12 months. They must be aged over 18, non-diabetic, and should not currently take Metformin.
To discover if your local vascular centre is taking part in the UK-MAT trial, and to find out if you would be eligible to participate in the trial, please contact the study team by clicking the button below.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Studies
MOSAIC2 adaptation study - Recruitment end date: March 2026
MOSAIC2 is an updated version of the MOSAIC1, a supported home-based walking exercise programme, designed for people with Intermittent Claudication, an early stage of peripheral artery disease (PAD) which causes leg pain when walking. Walking regularly is the best way to ease pain and reduce health risks, but it’s hard when walking hurts.
To help this, the study team designed a three-month programme, called MOtivating Structured walking Activity in Intermittent Claudication (MOSAIC1). It included regular meetings with a hospital physiotherapist to talk about the causes of leg pain, how walking can help and how each patient can overcome their walking difficulties. After this programme, people's walking and everyday activities improved.
The MOSAIC2 adaptation study wants to work with 20 patients or carers and 20 practitioners or service planners to change the programme so that it can be provided in community services and primary care practices by a range of practitioners.
Individuals participating in the study must be aged 50 or over, be diagnosed with (or be caring for someone) with a diagnosis of Intermittent Claudication, and must be able to speak English or use a translator.
To register your interest please contact the study team by clicking on the button below:
PLACEMENT Trial - Recruitment end date: August 2026
Major lower limb amputations are life changing events, associated with pain after surgery. Pain may delay recovery, including phantom limb pain, which may affect with fitting and using an artificial leg. The PLACEMENT Trial aims to test a new method for reducing pain after leg amputation, including phantom limb pain, by placing a small catheter (PNC) next to the main nerve in the leg during the amputation procedure.
The PLACEMENT Trial is a randomised control trial taking place in multiple UK NHS sites, which will compare pain in participants who had the PNC to those who did not, to find out if one method results in less post-operative pain than the other.
To be eligible to participate in the trial, individuals must be aged 18 or over, be undergoing a major lower limb amputation because of complications with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), diabetes and/or acute or chronic infection, have a life expectancy of greater than two weeks, and be able to asses their own pain from a scale of 0 to 10.
To discover if your local vascular centre is taking part in the PLACEMENT Trial, and to find out if you or someone you care for would be eligible to participate in the trial, please contact the study team by clicking the button below.