Portable optical brain screen to spot stroke risk in Ugandan children with sickle cell disease
Official title: Mobile Optical System for Stroke Risk Screening in Pediatric Sickle Cell Disease in Uganda
Funded at Kennesaw State University · NIH-11307426 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, affordable optical device used with a mobile system aims to quickly identify young children with sickle cell disease who are at risk of stroke in Uganda.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kennesaw State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kennesaw, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $179,988 |
| NIH project number | 1R21TW013255-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11307426 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with sickle cell disease, especially ages 0-11 in low-resource settings like Uganda, who could benefit from early stroke risk screening.
✕Less likely to help
Children without sickle cell disease or those not at risk for stroke may not benefit from this screening tool.
What this research studies
This project develops a portable optical tool that measures brain blood flow and oxygenation to flag stroke risk in children with sickle cell disease. It pairs the device with a mobile health system to share data, enable remote expert input, and improve access to screening in low-resource settings. The plan includes training healthcare workers and IT staff at a local university to sustain the technology, with pilot testing in urban and rural Ugandan hospitals. In the initial phase, the team will refine the device and test feasibility; later, they will run a larger study to validate how well the tool identifies at-risk children and how the mHealth network supports care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide an affordable, accessible way to screen at-risk children early and connect families with timely care to prevent strokes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on non-invasive optical screening methods shows promise, but this specific portable, mHealth-enabled approach in Ugandan settings is novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Seung Yup — Kennesaw State University
- Study coordinator: Lee, Seung Yup
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Affordable screening for stroke risk in children with sickle cell disease
This study is looking for a simple and affordable way to check if children with sickle cell disease are at risk for strokes, using a new method that could help catch problems early and keep them safe.
-
Stroke prevention with hydroxyurea for children with sickle cell anemia in Nigeria
A multinational, patient-facing study tests whether hydroxyurea can safely prevent first strokes in Nigerian children with sickle cell anemia.
-
Digital twins of the spleen to help design better therapies for sickle cell disease
A computer-driven replica of the spleen is being developed to speed up creating safer and more effective treatments for people with sickle cell disease.
-
Music-powered tools to boost blood pressure and stroke prevention for Nigerian youth and their older caregivers
This project uses popular music to help Nigerian youths and their older family members start and stick to blood pressure and stroke prevention habits.
-
Determinants of Post-Stroke Cognitive Outcomes and Vascular Effects on Recovery
A large, multi-site effort aims to understand why some stroke survivors develop long-term cognitive problems and dementia, and how vascular health and pre-existing brain changes influence recovery.
-
LRP1 controls NSC movement and stroke recovery
This NIH grant studies how a brain receptor called LRP1 helps neural stem cells move to stroke injuries and support recovery in adults.
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.