Would you like to participate in a MRI study?
Please ensure you meet the following basic criteria before proceeding. Anyone who does not meet these basic criteria may not be safe in our MRI environment.
Basic Criteria for MRI Study Participation
- You do not have any unremovable metallic objects or metallic fragments in or on your body
- You weigh less than 250 lbs
- You are not claustrophobic
You can find a partial list of current study participation opportunities in the space below. Please check back often as new study opportunities arise every few weeks.
Thank you for your interest in our research!
Current MRI Study Participation Opportunities
TEENAGERS
Do you want to participate in a study about cognition, emotions and resilience? Are you a teen ages 15–19? Or do you know a teen who may be interested?
At the Research on Affective Disorders and Development (RADD) Laboratory, we are interested in understanding how certain cognitive abilities, such as being able to pay attention or learn actions that help you achieve goals, may help teenagers to cope with stress and stay healthy.
This is a two-year study. Over the course of the study, you will have two study visits at our laboratory in Boulder, each lasting about five hours. During these visits you will be interviewed about your life experiences; you will complete some computer games that involve paying attention and learning; you will have a neuroimaging scan while you either rest quietly or play computer games; and you will answer a set of surveys on a computer. Also as part of the study, you will complete a set of online surveys and a brief telephone interview once every six months (five times total during the two-year study participation). At the end of the study, you will have a final telephone interview, lasting about two hours.
You can earn up to $750 for your time and effort completing the study.
To learn more, you or your parent/legal guardian (if you are age 17 or younger) can visit our website at www.raddlab.com, contact our lab directly at 303-735-8306 or email us at raddlab@colorado.edu.
ADULTS (18+)
Study on wellness and stress coping in CU students
The Research on Affective Disorders and Development Lab is conducting research on wellness and stress coping in CU students. We want to understand what makes CU students resilient or vulnerable to stress, and explore how peer-based programs may foster wellness.
The study includes a few different parts: (1) everyone in the study will be sent a series of electronic surveys three times over the course of the year; (2) some qualifying participants will also complete two in-person research visits, which includes an interview about life experiences, a set of computer games, and a neuroimaging scan; (3) participants who are using Peer Wellness Coaching services at CU may choose to share information about their Coaching experience with our research team (but you do not have to be using Peer Wellness Coaching to participate in the study). The study takes place over the course of a full year and you will be compensated for your participation (maximum of $504 to $608 for completing all parts of the study).
If you’re interested in learning more, contact the RADD lab at raddlab@colorado.edu, 303-735-8306, or complete our webscreen at www.raddlab.com/participate.
Stress in moms and babies (Project SIMBA)
Participate in the SIMBA research study, a collaboration between the University of Denver Family and Child Neuroscience Lab and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus!
Are you...
- 18-45 years old?
- 3-12 months postpartum?
- Fluent in English?
- Generally healthy?
If so, then you may be eligible to participate!
The purpose of the SIMBA study is to learn more about how stressful experiences influence cognitive and emotional demands on new mothers as they adapt to parenting their infants.
If you choose to participate, you may be asked to participate in up to four different visits, and you will be compensated for your time. The study includes home and/or lab visits, interviews and surveys, and neuroimaging.
Interested? Contact us at 720-777-2200 or at simbalab@ucdenver.edu!
Study on mothers and newborns
Participate in our new RISE- Relationships of Parent-Infant Social, Emotional, and Brain Development project!
The University of Denver Family and Child Neuroscience lab is looking for healthy pregnant women to participate in our new study! Help us learn more about how everyday stress impacts mental and emotional demands related to pregnancy and parenting in mothers and how a newborns' body and brain develops.
Who can participate? Anyone 18-40 years old who is healthy, has no non-removable metal in or on their body, is 8-12 weeks pregnant ( does not have to be first pregnancy), and meets other eligibility criteria explained over the phone.
What does the study consist of? Five home visits and two lab visits. Three prenatal visits, one during your first, second, and third trimester and two postnatal visits- one within a few weeks after your baby is born, another once your baby is one year old. Additionally, we will have you visit our lab scanner center in Boulder, CO within a few weeks of your child being born and if selected, again once your child is one year old. There we will get images of your brain and your baby's brain. Your baby will sleep in the scanner naturally without any use of sedation and you will be awake during your scan. Transportation and child care are available. We will call you a few times during the postpartum period to see how you and your baby are doing and ask you a few questions over the phone.
Will I be compensated? Yes! You could get compensated up to $795 for your participation in our RISE project.
How do I learn more about participating or if I have an interested friend who should they contact? Email us at fcnlab@du.edu or give us a call at 303-871-3096. We will do a short screener with you over the phone to see if you are a good fit for the study. You can also find a video with study procedures and more information about our study on our website.
Study on motivation, attention, and memory
We are currently recruiting women and men ages 18-25 years for a research study investigating relationships between motivation, attention, and memory in the brain using fMRI neuroimaging and TMS neurostimulation. Your involvement in the study will involve a brief screening (online or by telephone) to ensure eligibility. You will receive between $15-25/hour for your participation with the potential of winning additional bonus money. For more information and/or to complete an initial screening please follow this link: http://dumaclab.org/participate/
Studies that do not involve MRI scanning
Psychology Study Seeking Participants | $15/hour
The System-Human Interaction with fNIRS and EEG (SHINE) Lab is seeking individuals over the age of 18, who do not have a history of seizures, to participate as behavioral subjects in a game study for 2-3 hours.
Participants will play several games with other individuals for money and will complete a series of questionnaires.
Participants will be paid $15/hour for participating and will have the opportunity to earn bonus money for their decisions.
Participants will also wear a non-invasive brain measurement device called functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) while completing the gaming tasks. fNIRS uses light to monitor blood flow in the brain.
For more information or to sign-up for a session,
please email:
The Cognitive Development Center at CU Boulder is looking for children—ages 3 to 12 years old—who are interested in playing fun games that teach us about their learning!
Our goal in the Cognitive Development Center is to understand thinking and how it changes with development. We work with children to explore the development of memory, language, problemsolving, and flexibility. Learning how these abilities develop can help us understand not only how children think, but also how we come to think as adults.
We always have fun ongoing projects in our center, and we appreciate the help of parents like you who bring your children in to participate. We pay $5 for your travel, and parking is free right next to the building. If you or your friends would like to participate in our projects, you can sign up in one of the following ways: visit our website at http://colorado.edu/cognitivedevelopment/signup, email us at cogdevctr@grey.colorado.edu, or call our Center Coordinator at 303-492-6389.
(Note this study does not currently involve MRI scans.)
SONIC (Study on Nutrition, Insulin and Cannabis)
PI: Dr. Angela Bryan
Reason for this Study: We want to learn more about the effects of cannabis on inflammation and blood sugar regulation.
What you will do: This study involves meeting with our research staff a total of two times: once at our lab in Boulder and once in our mobile laboratory at a location convenient to you. Both of these appointments will include blood collection, an oral glucose tolerance test, and brief and confidential surveys. The second appointment involves using cannabis.
Who can be in the study: You must be 21 to 40 years old, have used cannabis at least once in your life, but not used cannabis in the last three months. You must also be willing to use cannabis. Both men and women can be in the study.
If you're interested in participating or have questions, please contact CUChange at 303-492-9549 or sonic.custudy@gmail.com.
CHROME (Cancer and Health: Research on Marijuana and Edibles)
PI: Dr. Angela Bryan
Reason for this Study: We want to learn more about the potential benefits and risks of cannabis use among people who are being treated for cancer.
What you will do: This study involves meeting with our research staff a total of two times: once at our lab in Boulder and once in our mobile laboratory at a location convenient to you. Both of these appointments will include a blood draw (three on the second appointment), questionnaires, and tasks to assess cognitive function. One month after your second appointment, you will be emailed an online survey to complete.
Who can be in the study: You must be at least 21 years old and be interested in using or are already using cannabis to treat the symptoms associated with your cancer or its treatment. Both men and women can be in the study.
If you're interested in participating or have questions, please contact CUChange at 303-492-9549 or chrme.custudy@gmail.com.
Viewing the images contained on your CD
The CD some participants receive after their scan contains a limited set of MRI images in DICOM format. The CD has a built-in viewing program that should run automatically when inserted in a Windows PC. If you use Mac, you will need to first download and install a free DICOM image viewer. We recommend OsiriX Lite, available here (please note that after you follow the link you must click "New User" and provide some basic info to receive the download link). OsiriX is in no way affiliated with INC and we cannot provide further assistance with their product.
Mini-Tutorial for Participant Brain CD's
You can view a tutorial we created to supplement the CD on YouTube here. As stated in the Image Release Form you signed prior to obtaining your disk, the images you received following your scan at the INC were acquired for research purposes only. It is not possible to make accurate, medically relevant diagnoses from these images. Like a fingerprint, everyone’s brain is different and you should not expect your brain to look exactly the same as the brain used in this mini-tutorial. As with any other health-related concern you may have, you should contact your primary care physician if you have medical concerns about your brain.