Volunteer for Research Studies

Supporting the University of Michigan's research and academic mission is an important component of MHealthy. MHealthy is currently helping recruit participants for select health and wellness related research studies. Volunteering provides an opportunity for you to play a role in important health and wellness research happening within our community. If you would like to volunteer as a study participant, please contact the U-M researcher listed for the study.

Study:  WalkToJoy Study (HUM00217566)

Would you like to incorporate more exercise into your daily life? Do you want to be more active, but don’t know where to start? The WalkToJoy study at the School of Information at the University of Michigan is looking for people who own a Fitbit (even if it’s in the back of the drawer right now) who are 40 years old or older and want to be more active. This six-week study will help you look for ways to incorporate walking into your daily routines and make walking more enjoyable. 

Who can participate?

To participate in the study, you must:

  • Want to increase your current activity level
  • Want to increase how much you enjoy walking for exercise
  • Be 40 years old or older
  • Have access to and be willing to use Fitbit daily for the duration of the study
  • Must be free from any medical condition that would prevent you from safely engaging in  moderate physical activity (i.e. walking)
  • Have a safe and easily accessible place to walk outdoors
  • Currently living within the U.S.

Potential benefits:

  • You may build a better relationship with moderate physical activity (i.e., walking).
  • You may be more active during the study.

Compensation:

Participants will receive up to $52 for completing the experiment. Participation is voluntary, meaning participants may withdraw from the study at any time and receive compensation up to that point. 

Additional information and enrollment: 

  • This study is 7 weeks (1 week of baseline + 6 weeks of study intervention).
  • Enrollment is on a rolling basis. 
  • The entire study will be non-contact due to COVID-19, and all communications will occur via email or phone.

If you are interested in participating, please complete the Eligibility Survey to see if you're eligible. If eligible, you will be redirected to a Participation Intent survey, then to the Consent Form. Upon completing all surveys, you will be contacted via email for further instructions on enrolling in the study using the study's web application.

For more information: 

Soo Ji Choi
soojc@umich.edu

This study has been approved by themHealth Sciences and Behavioral Sciences.

Study: MyBestGI Study (HUM00197337)

This research evaluates methods that help people eat in healthier ways. It is seeking volunteers who have risk factors for either colon or rectal cancers.

Study participants will receive information about ways to manage their eating habits and the results of the measures taken at the study visits. Study participation could impact how diet recommendations are made for future generations.

Who can participate?

You may be able to participate in this study if you:

  • Have a family history of colorectal cancer, a genetic risk factor for colon or rectal cancer, or you have had polyps or colorectal cancer in the past (with cancer treatment completed at least 12 months ago)
  • Are interested in learning healthier ways of eating
  • Are 19 years or older
  • Have a BMI of 25-45 kg/m2
  • Have a smartphone
  • Willing to log foods eaten

What is involved?

Participants in the study will:

  • Follow one of three eating plans for one year as best they can
    • Two of these eating plans will use the MyBestGI app
    • Study participants can choose the foods they prefer within healthy food groups
  • Attend three study visits over the course of 12 months with a small blood sample each time
  • Participants will be compensated up to $175 depending upon completion of study tasks.

For more information:

Call: 1-800-865-1125 Cancer AnswerLine™ (M-F: 8am-4:30pm)
Email: MyBestGIstudy@umich.edu
Visit: https://www.mybestgi.org

This study has been approved by the University of Michigan Internal Review Board.

Study: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Research Study (HUM00106883)

You may be eligible to participate in a research study investigating the effects of continuous and interval exercise on health and fitness!

Who can participate?

  • Men & women 18-40 years of age
  • Classified as overweight  (Body Mass Index 30-40 kg/m2)
  • Weight Stable (+/- 6 pounds for past 6 months)
  • Non-smoker who is relatively healthy
  • Do not currently participate in regular exercise

You will undergo/receive:

  • 12 weeks of supervised exercise training (4x/week)
  • Body composition analyses
  • 1 overnight hospital visit before and 2 overnight hospital visits after training with blood sampling and metabolic testing
  • Up to $550 compensation upon completion the study
  • A free Activity Monitor to track your physical activity

For more information, please visit the website at http://www.kines.umich.edu/research/sml/sml-studies

Study Coordinator: Suzette Howton, RDN
Email: suzetter@med.umich.edu
Telephone: 734-647-9850

More research volunteer opportunities:

Visit the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) site, which connects volunteers to U-M health research studies in need of participants.

Please note: Most research studies have rules about who can participate. It is the researcher's responsibility to fully inform research participants about all the procedures, alternatives, risks, and potential benefits before someone makes a decision to participate. Research participants are never under any obligation to participate in a study. Additionally, if you contact a researcher or if a researcher contacts you, there is no guarantee that you will be eligible.