Targeted nanomedicine to protect the brain after an ischemic stroke
Official title: Next-generation nanomedicine for acute ischemic stroke
Funded at Nanomuse, LLC · NIH-10932102 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses tiny, targeted drug carriers to bring anti-inflammatory medicine directly into damaged brain tissue after an ischemic stroke to limit injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Nanomuse, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton Junction, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $351,461 |
| NIH project number | 5R41NS130812-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10932102 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people who recently had an acute ischemic stroke and were treated with or are eligible for mechanical thrombectomy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with hemorrhagic stroke, long-standing chronic stroke without salvageable brain tissue, or known allergies to nanocarrier components are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
The team is developing nanoscale drug carriers that bind a blood‑vessel marker (VCAM) so medicines can concentrate in under‑perfused brain regions after clot removal. In mouse stroke models, these VCAM-targeted carriers delivered much higher drug levels to the brain and, when loaded with dexamethasone, reduced death and infarct size. The researchers also redesigned the particles to avoid triggering a dangerous complement-driven immune reaction that can lower blood pressure. The current work aims to finalize these safer, targeted carriers and advance them toward clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce secondary brain damage after thrombectomy and improve recovery for stroke patients.
How similar studies have gone: Many prior neuroprotective drugs failed in humans largely from poor brain delivery, but this VCAM-targeted nanocarrier showed promising results in preclinical mouse models, making the approach novel and still early-stage.
Where this research is happening
-
Nanomuse, LLC
Princeton Junction, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brenner, Jacob — Nanomuse, LLC
- Study coordinator: Brenner, Jacob
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeted nanomedicine to protect the brain after stroke
A targeted drug-delivery approach aims to boost blood-brain barrier repair and reduce brain damage after an acute ischemic stroke in patients at risk.
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Modeling Acute Ischemic Stroke to Improve Mechanical Thrombectomy
A research project is creating better computer models and animal studies to help remove clots more safely and effectively in people who have an acute ischemic stroke.
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Nanoparticle-delivered tPA to overcome clot resistance in acute ischemic stroke
A Mayo Clinic team is testing a nanoparticle-delivered tPA approach to help dissolve clots more effectively in people with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel blockage.
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Engineered tissue regulatory T cells as a treatment for stroke
A new off-the-shelf cell therapy using engineered regulatory T cells could help people who have an ischemic stroke recover by reducing inflammation and promoting tissue repair.
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Fast penumbral imaging to guide stroke treatment
Aims to develop quick MRI techniques to identify tissue at risk in acute ischemic stroke and help decide whether to use advanced clot-busting treatment.
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Circadian factors shaping reperfusion success in acute stroke
This grant looks at how the body’s internal clock might influence how well stroke patients respond to clot-busting or clot-removal treatments.
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.