Finding early brain injury signs in young children with sickle cell disease
Official title: Neuroimaging and Neurocognitive Markers of Brain Injury in Young Children with Sickle Cell Disease
Funded at Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger · NIH-11309154 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses child-friendly MRI scans, age‑appropriate thinking tests, and blood markers to find early brain injury signs in kids with sickle cell disease aged about 2–5 years.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $332,831 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168408-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309154 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with sickle cell disease roughly between ages 2 and 5 who can participate in unsedated MRI with behavioral training and annual clinic visits are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Adults, older children, or children without sickle cell disease, and children unable to tolerate unsedated MRI, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
If your child has sickle cell disease, researchers will invite them for yearly clinic visits that include a brief neurological exam, blood draws for proteins linked to brain injury, and kid-friendly cognitive tests. They will use behavioral training so many children can have MRI scans without sedation, focusing on initial imaging around ages 3–4 and follow‑up over several years. The team will compare children with and without silent brain lesions to identify patterns in imaging, cognition, and blood markers that predict risk. The overall aim is to build a practical set of tests that spot children at higher risk for silent strokes or future problems earlier.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help detect silent brain injuries earlier so children with sickle cell disease get interventions, educational supports, or treatments sooner to protect brain development.
How similar studies have gone: Small pilot work has shown behavioral training can produce high‑quality MRI in 3–4‑year‑olds, but combining unsedated imaging, cognitive testing, and blood biomarkers in this young SCD group is largely new.
Where this research is happening
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Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lance, Eboni I — Hugo W. Moser Res Inst Kennedy Krieger
- Study coordinator: Lance, Eboni I
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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.