War Related Illness and Injury Study Center
Volunteer for Research at CA WRIISC
More Information
For general information about WRIISC or participating in research:- Call us at: 1-888-482-4376
The WRIISC conducts research studies for illnesses and injuries affecting Veterans of Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield (ODSS) (1990-1991 Persian Gulf War), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) (Afghanistan), Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OIF/OND) (Iraq) and other conflict eras. The CA WRIISC is investigating new treatments for chronic pain in ODSS Veterans, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and working to improve diagnostic tools for brain injury.
If you are interested in participating in any of the research projects outlined below, please contact us.
Please note our studies are located in Palo Alto, CA and may require travel to the VA Palo Alto facility in the San Francisco Bay Area of California.
- Feasibility of Telehealth Yoga for Treatment of Chronic Pain
Principal Investigator: Peter Bayley, PhD
Co-Investigator: Louise Mahoney, MS, RYT
Project Coordinator: Shweta Pahade
Background: : Many Veterans suffer from Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain, and delivering Yoga as a non-drug treatment approach has shown to offer symptomatic relief. Providing yoga over a telehealth video conferencing allows Veterans to attend classes from the comfort of their home.
Purpose: Participants will attend a 75 minute yoga session per week for 12 consecutive weeks from an off-site location via an iPad loaned to them by the research study.
Eligibility: You may be eligible for a non-drug study involving yoga via telehealth for treatment of Chronic Pain if:
- You are a Veteran
- You have chronic musculoskeletal pain
- You have a primary care provider at the VA who can approve your participation in yoga
- You have a wireless Internet connection in your home
Eligible Veterans will receive 12 free group yoga classes from home using a VA provided iPad and $200 compensation for completing the entire study. Contact the Study Coordinator at (650) 304-1517.
Research Flyer
- Clinical Data Collection for Patients Seen in the War Related Illness and Injury Study Center (CA)
Principal Investigators: J. Wesson Ashford, MD, PhD and Ansgar Furst, PhD
The purpose of this on-going project is to study and make recommendations regarding treatment of deployment related injuries and illnesses. One of the objectives of the WRIISC is to evaluate Veterans with multiple unexplained symptoms and/or treatment resistant symptoms and educate other health providers about war related illnesses and injuries. We collect and store data from WRIISC patients for analysis in order to provide information to clinicians treating combat veterans. Stored data includes brain scans, neuropsychological tests, and other information from the patient's clinical evaluation.
This project is not recruiting subjects who are not referred to the WRIISC clinical evaluation program.
- Sleepless Warriors: Improving sleep in Veterans with a history of concussion
Principal Investigators: Ansgar Furst, PhD
Coordinators: Rayma Williams, Rebecca Williams
Description: The purpose of this fully virtual study is to compare two types of non-drug therapies for insomnia to determine if one is more helpful for improving sleep. You may be eligible for this study if you have suffered a concussion or mild head injury, and have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This research is sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is conducted in collaboration with Stanford University. Participation will require 9 virtual weekly “visits” and one 6 month follow-up virtual appointment. We offer compensation for each visit for a total of up to $325.
Study Phone: (650) 852-3426
Website: http://med.stanford.edu/sleepless-warriors/participate.html.
- Predictors of Response to Insomnia Treatments for Gulf War Veterans
Principal Investigators: Jerome Yesavage, MD and Andrea Goldstein-Piekarski, PhD
Coordinators: Allison Morehouse, Mateo Lopez, Abigail Cirelli
Description: The purpose of this fully virtual study is to compare two types of non-drug therapies for insomnia to determine if one is more helpful for improving sleep. You may be eligible for this study if you are a veteran of the 1990-1991 Persian Gulf War and have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. This research is sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs and is conducted in collaboration with Stanford University. Participation will include 9-10 virtual visits (a screening session (this may be split across two days), 6 treatment sessions, an end of treatment follow-up, and a 6-month follow-up). We offer compensation for each visit for a total of up to $275.
Study Phone: (650) 849-0584
