Blood DNA changes after repeated blast exposure and poor sleep
Official title: Identifying DNA Methylation Alterations of Chronic Effects Of Blast and Disturbed Sleep
Funded at James J Peters VA Medical Center · NIH-11414755 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at chemical marks on blood DNA in military and law enforcement personnel who had repeated blast exposures and sleep problems to learn how those changes connect to brain injury symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | James J Peters VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003818-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414755 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are current or former U.S. military or law enforcement personnel with repeated occupational blast exposures who have ongoing headaches, cognitive problems, or sleep disturbances.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of repeated blast exposure or whose brain injury comes only from blunt-force trauma may not find direct benefit from these results.
What this research studies
I’m part of a project that looks for chemical marks on DNA (called methylation) and gene activity in blood samples from people exposed repeatedly to blast overpressure. Researchers will combine those molecular results with anonymized blast sensor readings, symptom reports, and sleep information. The samples come from military and law enforcement personnel who did breaching and large-caliber rifle training and have repeated occupational exposures. The team will search for consistent molecular patterns that match headaches, thinking problems, or sleep disturbances after repeated blasts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce blood-based markers to help identify or predict long-term brain injury risk after repeated blast exposure and guide monitoring or treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier smaller studies have reported DNA methylation and gene expression changes after TBI or blast exposure, but assembling a large, well-characterized sample set like this is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
James J Peters VA Medical Center
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Haghighi, Fatemeh G — James J Peters VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Haghighi, Fatemeh G
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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.