Boosting mitochondria to help recovery after traumatic brain injury
Official title: Targeting mitostasis via activation of mitochondrial biogenesis after TBI
Funded at VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky · NIH-11129665 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try drugs that increase the production of healthy mitochondria to help adults with traumatic brain injury regain brain function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX003405-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11129665 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have experienced a traumatic brain injury—including veterans—would be the likely candidates for follow-up clinical work based on these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without TBI, children and adolescents under 21, or patients whose injuries are unrelated to mitochondrial dysfunction are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
What this research studies
Researchers at the Lexington VA are testing a drug-based approach to turn on mitochondrial biogenesis, the cell process that makes new, healthy mitochondria, after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The work centers on activating PGC-1α signaling and uses pharmacological agents (including formoterol) to shift mitochondrial dynamics toward repair. Experiments combine preclinical TBI models and molecular measurements of mitochondrial function and oxidative stress to see if replacing damaged mitochondria reduces brain cell injury. The goal is to produce findings that could guide treatments for veterans and other adults who have suffered TBI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could protect brain cells and improve recovery after TBI by restoring healthy mitochondrial function.
How similar studies have gone: Animal and laboratory studies have shown that protecting or restoring mitochondria can improve neuronal outcomes after brain injury, but strong evidence in people is still limited.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sullivan, Patrick G — VA Medical Center - Lexington, Ky
- Study coordinator: Sullivan, Patrick G
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.