Brain imaging of biological markers in schizophrenia
Official title: Using Neuroimaging to Investigate Mechanism-based Biomarkers of Schizophrenia
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11458413 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for brain-scan and blood-test signs linked to schizophrenia, especially early changes in extracellular brain water and inflammation, for people with or at risk for the illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $272,636 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH136503-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11458413 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with schizophrenia—especially early-stage or first-episode patients—or people considered at high risk who can undergo brain imaging and blood tests.
✕Less likely to help
People without schizophrenia, those unwilling to provide imaging or blood samples, or those whose illness does not involve the targeted inflammatory or free-water features may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team will first analyze large, already-collected multi-site brain scans, blood markers, and cognitive data to look for patterns tied to increased extracellular free water and inflammation in schizophrenia. Next, they will use a validated transgenic mouse model (Gclm knockout) to test whether oxidative stress and an enzyme called MMP-9 drive the same brain changes and whether modifying those pathways changes the imaging signals. Combining human data and animal experiments aims to connect the imaging findings to specific biological mechanisms like blood–brain barrier permeability and extracellular matrix changes. The goal is to point toward measurable markers that could be tracked in people or targeted by future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify measurable brain and blood markers that help diagnose schizophrenia earlier and guide new, mechanism-targeted treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Prior imaging studies have repeatedly found increased extracellular free water in early schizophrenia, but linking those human imaging and blood markers to mechanism using a transgenic animal model is a novel step.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kubicki, Marek — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kubicki, Marek
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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.