Blood biomarkers to monitor traumatic brain injury over time
Official title: Analytical characterization and validation of blood-biomarkers for monitoring TBI evolution
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11579289 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing seven blood biomarkers to track how traumatic brain injury changes over time in patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $131,000 |
| NIH project number | 3U01NS131740-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11579289 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients who have experienced traumatic brain injury and whose blood samples are available from established TBI cohorts.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without a history of traumatic brain injury are unlikely to benefit from this biomarker validation effort.
What this research studies
This project will analytically validate seven promising TBI biomarkers using blood samples from large, real-world cohorts. It will study how pre-analytical factors and different lab methods affect biomarker measurements, aiming to establish standard procedures and population reference ranges. The work focuses on translating biomarker data into clinically useful monitoring for patients with traumatic brain injury, across common care contexts. The study leverages existing samples from international TBI partnerships to ensure broad applicability.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, clinicians could use validated blood biomarkers to monitor TBI progression and recovery more reliably.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that several brain injury biomarkers are promising, and this project seeks to standardize measurements across platforms for clinical use.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Puccio, Ava M. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Puccio, Ava M.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.