Optimizing caffeine dosing for infants with brain injury due to lack of oxygen
Official title: Dose Optimization for Novel Drugs for Infants with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-10906753 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how caffeine can help protect the brains of babies with a serious condition called hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) while they receive cooling treatment, and it will test the best amount of caffeine to use for the best results.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $172,581 |
| NIH project number | 5K23HD111623-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10906753 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy who are undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy or are not receiving therapeutic hypothermia may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving treatment for infants suffering from hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a serious condition caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. The study aims to develop a model to understand how caffeine behaves in the body during therapeutic hypothermia, a common treatment for HIE. By simulating different dosing regimens, the researchers hope to find the most effective caffeine dosage that can protect the brain and improve outcomes for these infants. Ultimately, the research will involve testing the optimized caffeine dosing in a small group of infants undergoing treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that caffeine can reduce brain injury in animal models, but this approach in humans is novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jackson, Wesley M — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Jackson, Wesley M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Brain support cells in newborn brain injury after birth asphyxia
This grant studies how brain-supporting cells called pericytes affect brain damage after a newborn experiences a lack of oxygen at birth, with potential to guide new treatments.
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Neonatal brain health: using a new NIRS approach to guide cooling therapy in newborns with HIE
A new NIH-funded approach aims to use bedside brain oxygen and blood flow measurements to personalize cooling therapy for babies with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.
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Brain-derived exosomes to detect and track newborn oxygen-related brain injury
This project looks for tiny brain-derived particles in newborns who had low oxygen at birth to help predict how they'll recover and whether cooling will help.
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Personalized care for newborns with oxygen-related brain injury (HIE)
We are creating a combined MRI and clinical tool to better predict long-term outcomes for newborns who had low oxygen to the brain (neonatal HIE).
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Understanding the Link Between Maternal Infection and Brain Injury in Newborns
This project aims to better understand how infections during pregnancy might affect a newborn's brain and lead to conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
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Improving Cooling Treatment for Newborn Brain Injury
This project looks for better ways to guide cooling treatment for newborns who have experienced brain injury due to lack of oxygen.
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.