Keeping oxygen in the injured brain after severe head trauma
Official title: Brain Oxygen Optimization in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury - Phase 3 (BOOST-3)
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11474479 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a small brain oxygen monitor to guide ICU care for people with severe traumatic brain injury in hopes of improving recovery.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2018 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $37,500 |
| NIH project number | 3U01NS099046-06S4 |
| Project ID | NIH-11474479 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with severe traumatic brain injury who are admitted to an ICU and are eligible for intracranial monitoring may be candidates for this protocol.
✕Less likely to help
People with mild or chronic brain injury, or those who cannot safely receive an intracranial monitor, are unlikely to be eligible or benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has a severe traumatic brain injury and is in the ICU, doctors would place a tiny probe to measure oxygen levels inside the brain and follow a treatment plan aimed at preventing low brain oxygen. Patients are randomly assigned to care guided by brain tissue oxygen (PbtO2) monitoring versus usual care guided mainly by intracranial pressure (ICP). The team will track brain oxygen episodes, safety, and functional recovery over time at participating trauma centers. This phase 3 effort follows a smaller BOOST phase that reduced brain hypoxia and now aims to see whether that approach leads to better long-term outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more people survive severe TBI with better brain function and less disability.
How similar studies have gone: A prior BOOST Phase 2 trial showed a 74% reduction in brain hypoxia and a trend toward improved functional outcomes with no major safety concerns.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Silbergleit, Robert — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Silbergleit, Robert
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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.