Investigator-Sponsored Research Program
The Investigator-Sponsored Research (ISR) Program represents an important portion of medical research. The ISR Program serves as a conduit between Boston Scientific and external researchers to expand research.
Boston Scientific provides support for research that advances medical and scientific knowledge about our products and that generates medical interventions. This global program is open to all qualified researchers who are interested in conducting their own research
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Research Areas
Each Boston Scientific division reviews research requests for a variety of topics pertaining to Boston Scientific products and associated disease states.
We are currently looking at research in the following areas:
Interventional Cardiology/Structural Heart Topics of Interest
TAVR: Lotus Edge and Acurate
- Efficacy in Complex Cases, Unique Aortic Anatomies and subpopulations
- Embolic protection
- Health Economics Analysis
Watchman
- Imaging
- Health Economics Data
- Blood thinner comparative data
- Subgroup analysis
Complex PCI
- FFR, iFR, DFR usage
- Health Economics and Efficiency Analysis
Stents and Balloons
- Agent and Synergy applications and sub-population data
Rhythm & Electrophysiology Topics of Interest
General Topics of Interest
- Personalization of Ablation Strategy
- Rhythmia and Ablation Catheters
- Single Shot Ablation Technologies
- Diagnostics and Monitoring
- Subcutaneous ICD
- ICD and CRT Therapy
Specific Topics of Interest
ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY: Cardiac Mapping and Ablation
Personalization of Ablation Strategy
- Personalization of atrial fibrillation ablation strategy with multiple technology options
RHYTHMIA HDx™ and Ablation Catheters
- Procedural best practices and outcomes with state-of-the-art technology, including RHTYTHMIA HDx™ with ultra-high definition mapping and/or DIRECTSENSE™, AutoTag, and LUMIPOINT™ features
- Low fluoroscopy workflow
- High-power short duration ablation workflow in pulmonary vein isolation
- Substrate mapping and scar identification using RHYTHMIA HDx™
Single Shot AF Ablation Technologies
- Real-world performance, including in persistent AF patients
- Procedural best practices and outcomes
- Identification of late pulmonary vein reconnection using electro-anatomical mapping
- Low fluoroscopy workflow
RHYTHM MANAGEMENT Devices
Diagnostics and Monitoring
- Management of HeartLogic™ alerts: best practices
- HeartLogic™ index during recovery periods
- HeartLogic™ vs functional status
Subcutaneous ICD
- Changeouts at ERI and/or system revisions
- Implant techniques impacting procedural success, DFT, outcomes
- Management and consequences of S-ICD complications compared to TV-ICD complications.
- Real-world performance of S-ICD with the SMARTPass filter, compared to TV-ICD performance
ICD and CRT Therapy
- Positive and negative predictive values of BSC AF Monitor
- Site-specific pacing from physiologic sites to improve HF outcomes
- Imaging ischemic cardiac tissue location to guide optimal lead placement
Applicability of major study results across races and nationalities
Endoscopy Areas of Interest
- SpyDiscover (Surgical or Percutaneous)
- Cholangioscopy and Bil RFA in Occluded Bil SEMS
- Biliary RFA focused on improving life expectancy and reducing re-intervention rates
- Hybrid ESD or Hybrid EMR as a step to ESD using ProKnife
- Single Use Duodenoscopes
- Single Use Bronchoscopes
- Clipping for:
- Anchoring of J-tubes
- Marking
- Closure
- Specific areas of interest in these topics include but are not limited to the following:
- Economic Data (Reduced procedural time, decreased length of hospital stay, reduced complications, lower hospital)
- Safety and efficacy
Urology and Pelvic Health Topics of Interest
Urolithiasis
- Treatment outcomes in upper tract urinary stone disease
BPH
- Treatment outcomes and QoL in BPH
Cancer
- Spacing and marking for radiation in various anatomies
Female Stress Urinary Incontinence
- The case for minislings as standard of care therapy for stress urinary incontinence
- Patient experience
- Economics
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of the safety and efficacy of urinary slings for treating female stress urinary incontinence
- Incidence of complications following sling surgery in high risk women (obesity, medical comorbidities, concomitant hysterectomy etc.)
- Learning curve for Solyx
Pelvic Floor Reconstruction
- Use of Capio in native tissue repair for prolapse
- Safety and efficacy of Y- mesh implanted by transabdominal route
Male Stress Urinary Incontinence
- AUS / AdVance XP vs comparative device studies
- Patient and/or Caregiver satisfaction/experience
- Performance & treatment outcomes
- Economics of Incontinence
- Coping costs (i.e. pads/laundry/pills)
- Economic impact on society
- Patient productivity
- Mental health
- Benefit of diagnosing Incontinence
- Cardiovascular
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Female AUS studies
Male Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
- AMS 700 / Tactra vs other competitive devices
- Patient and/or Partner satisfaction/experience
- Performance & treatment outcomes
- Economics of ED
- Cost effectiveness of IPP as first line therapy
- Coping costs (i.e. alternative erectile dysfunction solutions)
- Economic impact on society
- Patient productivity
- Mental health
- Benefits of diagnosing ED
- Cardiovascular
- Diabetes
- Obesity
Neuromodulation Topics of Interest
- Spinal Cord Stimulation
- Treatment of chronic, intractable pain of the back and legs using the Spectra WaveWriter™ SCS System
- Of particular interest:
- Efficacy of combination therapy
- Programming optimization
- Contour™ field shaping algorithm vs other field shapes
- Anatomical vs paresthesia-based neural targeting
- Of particular interest:
- Treatment of chronic, intractable pain of the back and legs using the Spectra WaveWriter™ SCS System
- Deep Brain Stimulation
- Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders using Vercise™ Deep Brain Stimulation System
- Of particular interest:
- Freezing of gait
- Replacement of other DBS systems with Vercise DBS System
- Use of multiple frequencies on one lead
- Use of current fractionalization to maximize overlap with desired structures and minimize stimulation of non-target tissue
- Novel targets for Parkinson’s Disease, Dystonia, Tremor (may require IDE)
- Of particular interest:
- Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and other movement disorders using Vercise™ Deep Brain Stimulation System
How the U.S. Physician Payment Sunshine Act Impacts Sponsored Researchers
The U.S. Physician Payment Sunshine Act requires all pharmaceutical, biologic and medical device manufacturers – like Boston Scientific – to report annually to the U.S. government payments and transfers of value made to U.S. physicians and teaching hospitals. This could include educational and research grants and charitable donations.
Read additional details about the U.S. Physician Payment Sunshine Act