As of June 2026, 2,248 paid clinical trials are recruiting in Chicago, Illinois. Compensation typically covers time, travel, and study visits, with stipends ranging from modest amounts for short outpatient studies to several thousand dollars for long or inpatient protocols.
Chicago offers studies at sites including Northwestern University for conditions such as Breast Cancer, Heart Failure, Stroke, Prostate Cancer. Both patients with specific conditions and healthy volunteers can qualify. Most trials offer free study-related medical care alongside compensation.
Recruiting trial data synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov. Last sync: .
Chicago has approximately 2,248 recruiting research studies across a wide range of therapeutic areas. Illinois's research base includes Northwestern Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, University of Chicago Medicine, and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital, covering oncology, cardiology, and pediatric specialties.
Researchers run research studies in Chicago, IL at 25 active sites. The clinics below currently host the largest number of recruiting studies — each name is followed by the conditions they focus on most.
| Site | Specializes in | Active trials |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University | Breast Cancer, Prostate Adenocarcinoma, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8 | 378 |
| University of Chicago | Heart Failure, Peripheral Artery Disease, Gastric Cancer | 196 |
| Rush University Medical Center | Angelman Syndrome, Chronic Pain, Hypertension | 162 |
| Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago | Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, High Grade Glioma, WHO Grade III Glioma | 118 |
| University of Chicago Medical Center | Breast Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Kidney Stone | 101 |
| University of Illinois | Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Breast Cancer, Malignant Solid Neoplasm | 98 |
| University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center | Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, Stage IV Renal Cell Cancer AJCC v8 | 96 |
| Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Heart Failure, Inguinal Hernia Bilateral, Inguinal Hernia Unilateral | 91 |
| University of Illinois at Chicago | Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung | 75 |
| Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center | Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8 | 52 |
| The University of Chicago | Head and Neck Cancer, Malnutrition, AML With Gene Mutations | 42 |
| Shirley Ryan AbilityLab | Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injuries | 39 |
| Lurie Children's Hospital-Chicago | B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Neuroblastoma | 34 |
| Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine | Peripheral Artery Disease, Aging, Depression | 33 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Early Stage Breast Cancer (Stage 1-3), HIV Infections | 33 |
| Rush MD Anderson Cancer Center | Breast Cancer, Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8, Stage IVB Prostate Cancer AJCC v8 | 31 |
| John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County | Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Recurrent Malignant Solid Neoplasm, Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8 | 30 |
| University of Illinois Cancer Center | Breast Cancer, Gastric Cancer, Cervical Cancer | 27 |
| Northwestern Medicine | Urologic Diseases, AML - Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis | 23 |
| The University of Chicago Medical Center | Systemic Sclerosis, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Ovarian Cancer | 23 |
| Rush University | AV Block, Acute Kidney Injury, Aneurysm, Brain | 22 |
| Lurie Children's Hospital | Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), ACL Injury, ACL Tear | 18 |
| University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center | Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, Prostate Cancer, Acute Leukemia | 18 |
| University of Chicago Medicine | Advanced Solid Tumor, Lung Cancer, Ulcerative Colitis | 17 |
| Swedish Covenant Hospital | Breast Cancer, Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8, Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8 | 15 |
Recruiting trials in Chicago grouped by therapeutic area, drawn from ClinicalTrials.gov. Each bucket shows the most recent example studies.
Clinical trials in Illinois are governed by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) standards, and federal HIPAA privacy rules. Every study is reviewed by an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to protect participant safety and ensure informed consent. Illinois studies must also comply with the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) where applicable.
Hipa.ai aggregates every recruiting study in Chicago from ClinicalTrials.gov and refreshes the list daily. Use the filters above to narrow by condition, facility, age, phase, or healthy-volunteer eligibility, then click any study title to view full details — eligibility criteria, intervention, location, and sponsor contact information. To enroll, reach out to the central study contact listed on the study detail page; the research coordinator will walk you through the screening process.
There are approximately 2,248 recruiting clinical trials in Chicago, Illinois listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. The number changes weekly as new studies open and others close enrollment.
Most recruiting trials in Chicago compensate participants for their time, travel, and study visits. Compensation varies by sponsor, study phase, and visit requirements — the exact amount is disclosed by the study team during the informed consent process.
Eligibility depends on the specific study. Each trial defines its own inclusion criteria (age, diagnosis, medical history, prior treatments) and exclusion criteria. Both patients with specific conditions and healthy volunteers can qualify, depending on the study design.
The most common conditions under active study in Chicago include Breast Cancer (42), Heart Failure (28), Stroke (28), Prostate Cancer (24), among many others. Browse the list above to explore every recruiting trial.
Yes. Healthy-volunteer studies — often early-phase pharmacology or vaccine trials — recruit in Chicago on an ongoing basis. Use the "Healthy volunteers only" filter above to view trials that accept participants without the study's target condition.
Click any study title above to see the full study record, including eligibility criteria, visit schedule, and the study team's contact information. Reach out to the central contact or recruiting site directly — they will guide you through screening and informed consent.
Recruiting research sites in Chicago include Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Rush University Medical Center, among others. Each site lists its open studies and contact information on the study record above — call or email the site coordinator to ask about screening for a specific protocol.
The largest active categories in Chicago are Cancer & tumors (641), Neurology & pain (167), Cardiovascular (113). Use the filters above to narrow by therapeutic area, phase, age, or healthy-volunteer eligibility.