Genetic causes of brain swelling after stroke
Genetic Architecture of Cerebral Edema after Stroke
This project looks at how a person’s genes and CT scans explain why some stroke patients develop dangerous brain swelling.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11403659 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view as someone affected by stroke, the team will combine CT scans taken over time with genetic data from thousands of patients to measure how much the brain swells after a stroke. They will use automated computer tools to quantify cerebrospinal fluid loss (ΔCSF) as a marker of swelling and create detailed, multi-dimensional measurements of edema. Those imaging measurements will be linked to genetic variations to find biological pathways that make some people more likely to develop severe swelling. The goal is to use large, shared datasets (GENISIS and iBioStroke) to find consistent genetic signals across many patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who recently had a hemispheric stroke and have clinical CT scans and/or genetic testing available or are enrolled in participating stroke cohorts.
Not a fit: People without stroke, those with very small or non-hemispheric strokes, or those unable to provide imaging or genetic samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict who is at higher risk of dangerous brain swelling and point to new targets for treatments to prevent or reduce edema.
How similar studies have performed: While genetics of stroke and imaging-genetics approaches exist, large-scale genetic studies focused specifically on post-stroke cerebral edema are relatively new and this project is larger than prior efforts.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dhar, Rajat Raj — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Dhar, Rajat Raj
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.