Understanding how a brain barrier regulates its permeability
Official title: Investigations of cAMP-dependent brain-barrier permeability in choroid plexus
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-10907528 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a part of the brain called the choroid plexus, which helps protect the brain, to see how a messenger called cAMP affects its ability to keep things out, and it’s for anyone interested in understanding how brain health can be improved in conditions like brain disorders or injuries.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $79,284 |
| NIH project number | 5F32MH132178-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10907528 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults experiencing brain disorders or trauma that may affect the blood-brain barrier.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to brain barrier permeability or those under 21 years old may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the choroid plexus, a critical brain barrier that can influence damage in brain disorders and trauma. By using advanced imaging technology, the study aims to explore how the intracellular messenger cAMP affects the permeability of this barrier at the cellular level. The researchers will examine how neurotransmitters interact with specific receptors to regulate barrier integrity, which is essential for maintaining brain health. This work could lead to new insights into how brain barriers function and how they can be targeted in various brain conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatments for brain disorders by enhancing our understanding of brain barrier function.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promising results in understanding brain barrier mechanisms, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Figueroa Velez, Dario Xavier — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Figueroa Velez, Dario Xavier
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Targeting the brain’s fluid system to treat post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus
This grant explores a new approach to treating post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus by studying how the brain’s fluid system and immune cells manage CSF after a brain bleed.
-
National Spina Bifida Patient Registry at Boston Children’s Hospital
A patient-focused registry project at Boston Children’s Hospital will collect and study information from people with spina bifida to improve care and outcomes.
-
Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry for Patients
A patient-facing registry that tracks severe chronic low neutrophil counts to improve understanding and care for people with this condition.
-
Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry to Improve Care
A patient-focused registry gathers information from adults with severe chronic neutropenia to better understand infections, treatments, and outcomes over time.
-
Severe Chronic Neutropenia Registry: Finding Better Ways to Prevent Infections
A patient-focused registry at a leading hospital helps people with severe chronic neutropenia learn how the condition progresses and how treatments work over time.
-
Exploring epilepsy genes in zebrafish to understand human brain seizures
A study in zebrafish will model human epilepsy genes to help explain how certain brain mutations contribute to seizures.
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.