Improving learning and thinking skills after brain injury in newborns
Targeting glutamate carboxypeptidase in perinatal brain injury
This project explores new ways to protect the developing brains of newborns who have experienced injury around birth, hoping to prevent long-term learning and thinking challenges.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144252 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Neonatal encephalopathy can lead to lasting cognitive and learning problems in children, even after initial treatment. This happens because brain injury can affect the cerebellum, a part of the brain important for learning, by disrupting the development of special cells called Purkinje cells. We know that certain immune cells in the brain, called microglia, play a key role in Purkinje cell development, and inflammation can cause these microglia to become overactive. When microglia are overactive, they produce an enzyme called GCPII, which breaks down a helpful brain chemical, leading to reduced learning abilities. This project aims to use a special drug delivery system to block this GCPII enzyme in the microglia, hoping to restore normal brain development and improve learning outcomes for these children.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This research is focused on understanding and potentially treating brain injury in newborns, particularly those who have experienced neonatal encephalopathy.
Not a fit: Patients whose brain injury is not related to perinatal events or does not involve the specific biological pathways targeted by this research may not directly benefit from this particular approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a new treatment to prevent or reduce cognitive and learning deficits in children who experience brain injury around the time of birth.
How similar studies have performed: While therapeutic hypothermia has improved outcomes, this specific approach of targeting microglial GCPII with a dendrimer-conjugated inhibitor is a novel strategy for perinatal brain injury.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kannan, Sujatha — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Kannan, Sujatha
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.