Targeting immune-cell energy to reduce brain damage after traumatic brain injury
Official title: Bioenergetic regulation of the innate immune response after TBI
Funded at Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco · NIH-11264861 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try blocking a sugar-processing enzyme in brain immune cells to lower inflammation and protect the brain after a traumatic brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006251-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11264861 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who recently experienced a traumatic brain injury and are showing signs of inflammation or worsening neurologic function would be the likely candidates for future related trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-traumatic brain disorders or those with long-standing, stable injuries are unlikely to get direct benefit from this early preclinical work.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, researchers are focusing on microglia, the brain's immune cells, which can damage neurons after a head injury by producing inflammatory molecules and reactive oxygen. They will use mice engineered to lack the enzyme hexokinase-2 in microglia and give an Hk2-blocking drug after controlled brain injury to see whether inflammation, neuron and blood vessel damage, and long-term behavior improve. Lab-grown microglia will also be used to measure changes in sugar use, gene activity, and harmful oxidant production when Hk2 is blocked. The work aims to determine whether reducing microglial glycolysis preserves axons and dendrites that are important for recovery after TBI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to new treatments that reduce inflammation and help preserve nerve connections after traumatic brain injury.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory and animal studies, including work from this team, have shown that limiting glycolysis can calm microglial activation, but using Hk2 inhibitors in humans remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
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Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Swanson, Raymond a — Veterans Affairs Med Ctr San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Swanson, Raymond a
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.