Brain support cells in newborn brain injury after birth asphyxia
Official title: Brain Pericytes in Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
Funded at Loma Linda University · NIH-11482126 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how brain-supporting cells called pericytes affect brain damage after a newborn experiences a lack of oxygen at birth, with potential to guide new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loma Linda University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Loma Linda, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $643,289 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS152423-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11482126 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Infants with perinatal asphyxia or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and nearby patient populations who may be eligible for future related trials.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage research findings may not yet translate into immediate treatments for all patients.
What this research studies
Researchers at Loma Linda University are exploring how pericytes, cells that help guard the brain’s blood vessels, influence brain injury after perinatal asphyxia. The project focuses on the role of pericytes in maintaining the blood-brain barrier and how their dysfunction might contribute to damage in both gray and white matter. By studying these cells in the context of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, the team aims to identify targets for therapies that could protect or repair the neonatal brain. The work may involve studying brain tissue or models to understand how pericyte health relates to outcomes after birth-related oxygen deprivation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new therapies that preserve brain function in newborns after birth asphyxia.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests pericytes are important for blood-brain barrier function, but this project seeks to clarify their role specifically in perinatal brain injury.
Where this research is happening
-
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ma, Qingyi — Loma Linda University
- Study coordinator: Ma, Qingyi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Neonatal brain health: using a new NIRS approach to guide cooling therapy in newborns with HIE
A new NIH-funded approach aims to use bedside brain oxygen and blood flow measurements to personalize cooling therapy for babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
-
Brain-derived exosomes to detect and track newborn oxygen-related brain injury
This project looks for tiny brain-derived particles in newborns who had low oxygen at birth to help predict how they'll recover and whether cooling will help.
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Personalized care for newborns with oxygen-related brain injury (HIE)
We are creating a combined MRI and clinical tool to better predict long-term outcomes for newborns who had low oxygen to the brain (neonatal HIE).
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Understanding the Link Between Maternal Infection and Brain Injury in Newborns
This project aims to better understand how infections during pregnancy might affect a newborn's brain and lead to conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
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Improving Cooling Treatment for Newborn Brain Injury
This project looks for better ways to guide cooling treatment for newborns who have experienced brain injury due to lack of oxygen.
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A wearable device to monitor brain health in newborns with oxygen deprivation
This study is testing a new, affordable wearable device that helps doctors keep an eye on the brain health of newborns with a condition called hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) by measuring important markers in real-time, so they can act quickly to help these babies.
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.