Stopping a toxic zinc compound after a brain bleed
Official title: Endogenous zinc protoporphyrin in intracerebral hemorrhage
Funded at State University New York Stony Brook · NIH-11238993 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aiming to prevent a harmful zinc-containing molecule that forms after a brain bleed to protect people who have had an intracerebral hemorrhage.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $522,633 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS136494-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238993 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who recently experienced an intracerebral hemorrhage (bleeding stroke) would be the most likely group to benefit from or be eligible for related future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without intracerebral bleeding or with other types of stroke are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Researchers will study a zinc-containing molecule called zinc protoporphyrin (ZnPP) that builds up around the bleeding area in the brain and seems to worsen injury. They will test how low oxygen, released zinc, and iron changes promote ZnPP formation through the enzyme ferrochelatase and how ZnPP damages cells by blocking protective pathways and increasing toxic zinc and free radicals. In lab and preclinical models the team will block ferrochelatase and other steps to see if stopping ZnPP formation lowers brain injury and improves recovery. The results could point to new treatments to limit damage after intracerebral hemorrhage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that reduce brain damage and improve recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage by preventing ZnPP formation.
How similar studies have gone: Prior preclinical results from the team showed that blocking ferrochelatase lowered ZnPP levels and reduced brain damage in models, but the approach has not yet been tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
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State University New York Stony Brook
Stony Brook, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Ke Jian — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Liu, Ke Jian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Anticoagulation in ICH Survivors with Atrial Fibrillation and Small Vessel Disease
This project looks at how to safely use blood-thinning medicines in people who survived a brain bleed and also have atrial fibrillation and small vessel disease.
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Statin use after lobar intracerebral hemorrhage
This trial compares continuing versus stopping statins in people who had a lobar intracerebral hemorrhage to see how that affects repeat brain bleeds, strokes, heart attacks, and recovery over two years.
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Statin use after lobar brain hemorrhage
This trial compares stopping versus continuing statin medicine in people who had a lobar brain bleed to learn effects on repeat bleeding and future heart or stroke events.
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Blocking red blood cell death after brain hemorrhage
A study at Yale is exploring whether stopping a specific kind of red blood cell death after a brain hemorrhage could improve recovery.
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Targeting HDAC3 to reduce brain damage after a brain bleed
This project will test whether blocking a protein called HDAC3 can reduce inflammation and improve recovery after an intracerebral hemorrhage (brain bleed).
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Silent brain injuries after brain bleed may predict dementia risk
A study using MRI and cognitive tests to see if hidden brain injuries after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage help forecast later cognitive decline.
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.