Does the Nerve and Muscle Center of Texas Offer Clinical Trials and Research?

Updated

Yes. The Nerve and Muscle Center of Texas describes its work as combining clinical, neurophysiological, and pathological evaluation with therapeutic intervention, teaching, and research in a single location. Its website also includes a "Recruiting Clinical Trials" entry point, which indicates that the center enrolls participants for at least some studies. The site does not list specific trials, eligibility criteria, or enrollment contacts, so anyone interested should contact the center directly to ask which studies are currently recruiting and whether they qualify.

What the Center Says About Research and Trials

The center presents research as one of its core functions rather than a side activity. Its stated model is to bring evaluation, therapy, teaching, and research together under one roof in the Texas Medical Center.

Area What the site indicates
Clinical care Comprehensive clinical, neurophysiological, and pathological evaluation with therapeutic intervention
Research Listed as a core activity alongside teaching
Clinical trials A "Recruiting Clinical Trials" section is present on the site
Teaching Affiliated with Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, a major teaching hospital

The presence of a recruiting trials section is the clearest signal that studies accept participants. However, the site does not publish trial names, conditions under study, phase information, or enrollment requirements. That means the only reliable way to learn what is open is to ask the center.

Who Leads the Center

The Medical Director is Aziz Shaibani, MD, and his background is relevant to anyone considering a trial or research-related evaluation:

  • He is affiliated with Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center, a major teaching hospital of the Texas Medical Center.
  • He has held academic appointments at Baylor College of Medicine, Kansas University Medical Center, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
  • He is a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (Neurophysiology and Neuromuscular Medicine) and of the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and is certified in Clinical Neuromuscular Pathology by the United Council of Neurologic Subspecialties.
  • He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Neurological Association.
  • He has published in peer-reviewed journals, co-authored book chapters, and written A Video Atlas of Neuromuscular Disorders, which won two international prizes and was reprinted twice; a second edition was released.
  • He is a past president of the Texas Neurological Society and course director of its Annual Neuromuscular Seminar since 2015.
  • He has been listed in Best Doctors in America since 2009.

This record matters for research questions in a practical way: a physician with neuromuscular subspecialty certification, electrodiagnostic certification, and clinical neuromuscular pathology certification is positioned to evaluate whether a patient fits a study's clinical profile. It does not, by itself, tell you which trials are open.

Recent News

In January 2026, the Texas Neurological Society recognized Dr. Shaibani with its 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award. The center's site reports this under its news section. For patients and referring physicians, this is a signal of standing in the regional neurology community, but it is not information about trial availability.

How to Find Out About Current Trials

Because the site does not publish a trial list, follow this sequence:

  1. Check the site's "Recruiting Clinical Trials" section first. It is the center's own entry point for trial information and may be updated as studies open.
  2. Contact the center directly. Ask three specific questions: which neuromuscular conditions are currently under study, what the eligibility requirements are, and whether a referral is needed. The site provides separate entry points for new and established patients, so use the one that matches your situation.
  3. Prepare your records. Trial screening typically depends on diagnosis, prior test results (including EMG/NCS and pathology where relevant), and current treatment history. Having these ready shortens the conversation.
  4. Confirm logistics before committing. Ask about visit frequency, travel to the Texas Medical Center location, and any costs or sponsor coverage. The site does not publish this information, so it must come from the center.

A realistic example: a patient with a suspected inflammatory neuropathy who has had EMG and nerve conduction studies elsewhere could ask whether any recruiting study targets that category, then send the prior reports for a preliminary review.

What to Keep in Mind

  • "Recruiting" on a website is not a guarantee of open slots. Trial status changes; always verify by phone or through the contact route the center provides.
  • Eligibility is clinical, not administrative. Meeting a listed condition is only the first filter; study-specific criteria decide enrollment.
  • Research participation is separate from routine care. Being a patient of the center does not automatically make you a trial candidate, and joining a trial does not replace standard evaluation.
  • The site is thin on specifics. No trial registry IDs, sponsor names, or phase details appear in the available material, so treat any secondhand list as unverified until the center confirms it.

For a straightforward answer: yes, the center advertises recruiting clinical trials and lists research among its core functions, and its director's credentials support neuromuscular research work. For the current studies and your own eligibility, contact the center and ask directly.