Studies
Current Endometriosis Research
Understanding endometriosis requires access to reliable, up-to-date research. This Study Page is for those who want to explore the evidence behind current knowledge. It is a curated, searchable research index for endometriosis-specific publications and ongoing clinical studies, and invites you to visually explore the interrelations between research topics that may not be obvious at first glance.
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Studies you can join
Clinical studies seeking participants
Currently recruiting
ENDOVA: Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Symptomatic Endometriosis
MedUni Vienna is recruiting for ENDOVA, a prospective, double-blind, sham-controlled, randomized pilot study evaluating whether gentle auricular vagus nerve stimulation with the VIVO® class IIa medical device can improve quality of life and pain in people with symptomatic endometriosis. Participation lasts approximately 4.5 months and includes 6 weeks of device use, weekly appointments in Vienna during the device phase, and an electronic pain diary throughout the study. Basic criteria include age 18-51, surgically confirmed endometriosis or diagnosis by ultrasound/MRI, menstrual pain or chronic lower abdominal pain, and no current hormonal endometriosis therapy; people with a pacemaker cannot participate.
ELECTRE
A single-center randomized study evaluating the efficacy and tolerability of a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device for managing endometriosis-associated pelvic pain. The study compares conventional TENS with microstimulation TENS and is recruiting adult women with endometriosis and/or adenomyosis diagnosed by imaging and/or histology.
EndoSolve
OnaWave Medical is developing a novel, non-invasive and painless method for faster diagnosis of endometriosis through analysis of subtle bioelectric rhythms in the pelvis. Built on research from University of Galway and supported by the European Innovation Council.
Recruitment ended - results pending
NOVA – Vipoglanstat (Phase 2)
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial by Swedish biotech Gesynta Pharma investigating Vipoglanstat, a non-hormonal and non-opioid compound, for endometriosis-associated pain. Approximately 190 women aged 18–45 are being enrolled across multiple European centers to evaluate efficacy, safety, and optimal dosing.
Endogreet
A potential non-hormonal treatment approach using Tigovit, a green tea extract, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study at MedUni Vienna. Green tea extract has shown promise in reducing both pain and inflammation around endometriosis lesions.
IMAGENDO
Imaging study aiming to reduce endometriosis diagnosis time through improved imaging analysis. Participants needed pelvic MRI or transvaginal ultrasound examinations.
ENDOFLEX
A MedUni Vienna study investigating Flexofytol, a curcumin extract preparation, as a potential non-hormonal approach for endometriosis-associated pain. The rationale was based on the inflammatory component of endometriosis symptoms and prior clinical data suggesting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pain-relief effects of curcumin preparations in osteoarthritis.
Published Endometriosis Research
Browse curated endometriosis publications across various categories. Each entry links back to the original publication source.
19 publications
Exploratory phase 2 DETECT study evaluating 99mTc-maraciclatide SPECT-CT imaging, a radiotracer approach targeting αvβ3 integrins associated with angiogenesis, in participants with suspected or confirmed pelvic or thoracic endometriosis. Among 19 participants who completed both imaging and surgery, imaging findings were concordant with the surgical presence or absence of endometriosis in 16 cases. Endometriosis was imaged in 14 of 17 surgically positive participants, including thoracic disease. The study suggests potential for detecting superficial peritoneal endometriosis that conventional imaging may miss, but the sample was small and larger phase 3 validation is still required.
Apr 29, 2026
First study to identify a distinct serum microRNA signature specific to adolescent and young adult endometriosis patients, differing from patterns found in adults. The identified microRNA profile may enable non-invasive early diagnosis in younger patients, addressing the current diagnostic barrier of reliance on laparoscopy. The authors propose this approach as a tool for early detection and prevention of disease progression.
Nov 24, 2025
Bioinformatics and machine learning analysis identified three apoptosis-related genes — FAS, PRKAR2B, and CSF2RB — as candidate diagnostic biomarkers for endometriosis. FAS and CSF2RB were significantly downregulated in patient samples versus controls. These genes correlated with specific immune cell populations, including B cells, dendritic cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, suggesting utility both as diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets.
Sep 29, 2025
This preprint reports whole-genome methylation sequencing of freshly isolated menstrual blood-derived stem cells as a non-invasive approach to endometriosis diagnosis. In 42 participants (19 with endometriosis, 23 controls), differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified in genes linked to inflammation, tissue remodeling, and development. Machine learning models trained on these DMRs achieved 79% sensitivity and 83% specificity, supporting the potential of non-invasive epigenetic diagnostics.
Jul 26, 2025
Transvaginal ultrasound is the established method for mapping deep endometriosis, but remains operator-dependent and limited in cases of severely distorted pelvic anatomy or cul-de-sac obliteration. Through a comprehensive literature search, the authors summarize evidence on intraoperative ultrasound (IO-US) as a complementary tool, reviewing five techniques — transabdominal, transvaginal, transrectal, laparoscopic, and contact ultrasound — each suited to different surgical settings. They argue for broader adoption of IO-US to enable more precise intraoperative planning and decision-making in deep endometriosis surgery.
Mar 22, 2025
Elaborate narrative review synthesizing surgical, molecular, and computational approaches to endometriosis. Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals distinct immune, vascular, and fibrotic signatures across lesion subtypes. Proteomic and metabolomic analyses identify candidate biomarkers. AI shows promise for screening and standardizing care. The authors predict that as technology advances, surgical and medical management of endometriosis will become standardized and democratized within 2-3 decades - but emphasize that training the next generation of surgeons, clinicians, computational, epidemiologic, and wet lab researchers is essential to assure a pipeline of collaborators.
Feb 6, 2025