Engineered brain vessel model that shows how blood flow follows brain activity
A microphysiological model of the neurovascular unit capable of demonstrating neurovascular coupling
This project builds a lab-grown brain blood-vessel system that mimics how brain activity directs blood flow to help people with Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11301886 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will create a tiny 3-D model of the neurovascular unit that combines blood vessel cells, support cells, and neurons in culture. The model will include contractile mural cells so vessels can narrow or widen, and it will use the glutamate → NMDA → nNOS → NO signaling pathway to link neuronal activity to vessel responses. Investigators will trigger neuronal activity and observe whether the engineered vessels change diameter and redirect fluid like they do in the living brain. The goal is to replicate neurovascular coupling in the lab to learn how it breaks down in Alzheimer's and to inform ways to restore healthy blood flow.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll patients, but its findings are aimed at people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias who could benefit from therapies that fix blood-flow problems.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatments or wishing to join a clinical trial will not receive direct benefit from this lab-only research during the grant period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this model could reveal targets or methods to restore healthy blood flow in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, which might help preserve or improve thinking abilities in the future.
How similar studies have performed: This approach is novel because existing human neurovascular models have not demonstrated true neurovascular coupling, though individual components (3-D cultures, vascular cells, and neuronal signaling pathways) have been studied separately.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- Vanderbilt University — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bellan, Leon Marcel — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Bellan, Leon Marcel
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 below.