Reprogramming blood-vessel lining cells in inherited brain aneurysms
Official title: Endothelial Cell Reprogramming in Familial Intracranial Aneurysm
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11258496 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find out whether fixing gene-related changes in the cells that line brain arteries can lower aneurysm risk in people with a family history.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $589,159 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS127469-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258496 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with a personal diagnosis of intracranial aneurysm or a strong family history of brain aneurysms, especially families with multiple affected relatives, are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without a hereditary form of aneurysm or those needing immediate clinical treatment to stop an active leak are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this lab-focused genetic research right away.
What this research studies
You may be asked to share family and medical history and provide a blood sample for genetic sequencing. Researchers will compare genes from families with multiple aneurysms to find rare mutations, including changes in WBP11 and PPIL4. They will study how those mutations change the behavior of the cells that line brain blood vessels using lab-grown human cells and animal models to see why vessel walls weaken and bleed. The team hopes to use those findings to point to tests or new treatments that could help prevent aneurysm formation or rupture.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify people at higher hereditary risk and point to new ways to protect vessel walls or prevent aneurysm rupture.
How similar studies have gone: Previous genetic and animal studies have linked gene changes to aneurysm biology, but the roles of WBP11 and PPIL4 are newly identified and targeting them in patients remains untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gunel, Murat — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Gunel, Murat
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how brain aneurysm walls and shape change over time
This project studies how small brain aneurysms grow and whether MRI features of the aneurysm wall and its shape can predict growth so doctors can better decide when treatment is needed.
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Predicting brain aneurysm growth with advanced 4D MRI and tensor math
A research project uses 4D flow MRI and new math models to predict how brain aneurysms grow over time, helping doctors decide on safer treatments for people with UIAs.
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How aging and aged (senescent) cells may cause brain aneurysm rupture
This research tests whether removing aging 'senescent' cells can lower the chance that a brain aneurysm will burst for people with intracranial aneurysms.
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How tiny cell structures (podosomes) may weaken brain arteries and cause aneurysms
Testing whether podosomes — small structures inside blood vessel cells — make brain arteries weaker and raise the risk of aneurysm rupture for people with or at risk of brain aneurysms.
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How cells' cleanup of vessel attachments may affect brain aneurysms
This project looks at whether a cellular cleanup process in blood‑vessel lining cells weakens brain arteries and contributes to aneurysms in people at risk for intracranial aneurysm.
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Improved MRI methods to find small brain aneurysms likely to grow
Using improved MRI scans to find inflammation and shape changes that show which small brain aneurysms may grow in people with unruptured aneurysms.
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.