Investigating how astrocytes interact with their environment using special materials
Official title: Studying astrocyte borders using injectable biomaterials
Funded at Boston University (Charles River Campus) · NIH-11057142 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain brain cells called astrocytes form protective borders, which can help us understand and improve treatments for brain conditions like inflammation and degeneration, using a special method in mice to see how these cells react to different situations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University (Charles River Campus) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | September 19, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $446,126 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NS136831-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11057142 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with central nervous system disorders, such as neuroinflammatory or neurodegenerative diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with peripheral nervous system disorders or those not affected by central nervous system conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the formation of astrocyte borders, which are important in various central nervous system disorders. By injecting biomaterials into the brains of mice, researchers aim to create a controlled environment to study how astrocytes respond to different non-neural cell populations. This approach will help to uncover the complex biology of astrocyte borders and their roles in conditions like neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. The goal is to develop a new bioassay that can profile the functional states of these astrocyte borders, providing insights into their protective roles in the brain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic strategies for treating central nervous system disorders by enhancing our understanding of astrocyte functions.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of using biomaterials to study astrocyte borders is novel, similar research has shown promise in understanding astrocyte functions in other contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston University (Charles River Campus)
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: O'shea, Timothy Mark — Boston University (Charles River Campus)
- Study coordinator: O'shea, Timothy Mark
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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.