NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

Overcoming Neurogenic Inflammation to Help Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury

Official title: Overcoming Neurogenic “Meta-Inflammation” to Promote Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury

Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11380635 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A long-term research project explores how spinal cord injury affects the body’s inflammation and metabolism, with the goal of improving health and recovery for adults with SCI.

More Spinal Cord Injury research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionOhio State University
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES)
Project startMay 1, 2019
Project endApril 30, 2027
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$1,157,689
NIH project number5R35NS111582-08
Project IDNIH-11380635 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Adults with spinal cord injury who are at risk for immune or metabolic complications may benefit from the findings.

Less likely to help

Individuals without SCI or those not experiencing related immune/metabolic issues may not benefit.

What this research studies

This grant studies how spinal cord injury triggers immune and metabolic problems across multiple organs, not just movement. Researchers will look at how changes in nerve signaling after injury lead to immune dysfunction and organ-wide changes in metabolism. The work aims to identify mechanisms that could be targeted to restore balance in immune and metabolic processes and support overall recovery. It involves experiments that connect nervous system changes to body-wide health, with potential implications for preventing complications like infections, fatty liver, depression, and metabolic diseases.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to new strategies to prevent organ complications after SCI and improve both health and quality of life for patients.

How similar studies have gone: Previous data suggest immune and metabolic dysregulation after SCI is linked to worse outcomes, making this approach promising but still exploratory.

Where this research is happening

  • Ohio State University
    Columbus, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Popovich, Phillip G — Ohio State University
  • Study coordinator: Popovich, Phillip G

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.