Ferroptosis and iron's role in brain cell death after newborn brain bleeding causing hydrocephalus
Official title: Ferroptosis in post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus following severe neonatal intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) - defining the role of iron in choroid plexus and ependymal cell death
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11368897 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to understand how iron-driven cell death in brain support cells after severe newborn brain bleeding leads to hydrocephalus, with the goal of preventing this condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $432,647 |
| NIH project number | 1R01NS144825-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11368897 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Newborns with severe intraventricular hemorrhage or infants at risk for post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus could benefit from future therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Very premature infants without IVH or hydrocephalus would not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers at Stanford are studying why hydrocephalus often follows severe intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants. They focus on ferroptosis, a form of iron-related cell death, in ependymal and choroid plexus cells, and will use a new rat model to mirror human disease. A novel biomarker and a genetic rat defect will help uncover how this process causes hydrocephalus and point toward potential therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify targets to prevent hydrocephalus in preterm infants who suffer IVH.
How similar studies have gone: Prior models have advanced understanding of brain injury after IVH, and this study builds on that with ferroptosis biomarkers and a more realistic rat model.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mahaney, Kelly B — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Mahaney, Kelly B
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Treating neonatal brain injury by reversing inflammation in macrophages
This study is looking at whether giving azithromycin, an antibiotic that can help reduce inflammation, can improve brain recovery in newborns who have had bleeding in the brain, which can lead to complications like hydrocephalus.
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Wearable tech to track blood loss during childbirth
A wearable device monitors cardiovascular signals to detect postpartum hemorrhage early so clinicians can act quickly to protect mothers.
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SATURN MRI ancillary study: statins after intracerebral hemorrhage and brain MRI markers
This study looks at what happens to brain MRI markers and health outcomes when people with a specific type of brain bleed continue or stop taking statins.
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Statin use after brain bleed MRI study in ICH patients (SATURN MRI) Ancillary Study
This project tests whether continuing or stopping statin therapy after an intracerebral hemorrhage affects brain changes seen on MRI and related health outcomes in people with lobar ICH.
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Statin use after brain bleed: SATURN MRI ancillary study
This project tests whether continuing statin medicines after a brain bleed (lobar intracerebral hemorrhage) affects new brain blood vessel findings and long-term health.
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Targeting the brain’s fluid system to treat post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus
This grant explores a new approach to treating post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus by studying how the brain’s fluid system and immune cells manage CSF after a brain bleed.
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.