Understanding how brain cell signals relate to suicide in veterans
Official title: Integrative Multi-Genomics Approach of the Cortico-Mesolimbic System to Study the Neurobiological Causes forSuicide in Veterans.
Funded at Phoenix VA Health Care System · NIH-11189052 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at brain differences linked to suicide in veterans to uncover new ideas for prevention.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Phoenix VA Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Phoenix, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 1I01BX007250-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189052 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans and civilians whose brain tissue data are included in postmortem studies or who have related psychiatric conditions (e.g., bipolar disorder, depression) may benefit from enhanced understanding of suicide biology.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without access to the study's data resources or those not represented in the analyzed cohorts may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study brain tissues from veterans and compare them with civilian samples to map brain-wide and cell-type specific RNA patterns, focusing on microRNAs and gene activity in key regions like the anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala. They will combine multiple large data sets to increase statistical power and look for consistent molecular signatures associated with suicide across groups. The goal is to identify molecular pathways that could be targeted to reduce suicide risk in veterans and others with bipolar disorder or related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide new prevention strategies and inform future therapies to reduce suicide risk.
How similar studies have gone: Previous postmortem brain studies have identified miRNA patterns linked to psychiatric illness, with this study expanding to a larger, harmonized dataset.
Where this research is happening
-
Phoenix VA Health Care System
Phoenix, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vladimirov, Vladimir Ivanov — Phoenix VA Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Vladimirov, Vladimir Ivanov
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.