Understanding how damaged brain cells contribute to stroke recovery
Dysfunctional organelle-specific autophagy leads to brain ischemia-reperfusion injury
This project aims to understand how brain cells clean up damaged parts after a stroke or similar brain injury, which could lead to new ways to help patients recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141166 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
When the brain experiences a temporary lack of blood flow, like during a stroke, many people suffer long-term problems due to damage that occurs when blood flow returns. This damage is linked to a buildup of faulty cell components called mitochondria, which release harmful substances. Our team is exploring a process called mitophagy, which is how brain cells normally remove these damaged mitochondria. We believe a specific protein, NSF, is key to this cleanup process, and when it doesn't work right, damaged mitochondria accumulate, causing more injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients but focuses on understanding mechanisms relevant to individuals who have experienced brain ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Not a fit: Patients whose brain injury is not related to ischemia-reperfusion or dysfunctional cellular cleanup processes may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets for treatments to reduce brain damage and improve recovery for patients after conditions like stroke or cardiac arrest.
How similar studies have performed: While the role of mitophagy in brain injury is an active area of investigation, this project proposes a novel mechanism involving the NSF protein, making its specific approach relatively untested.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- University of California, San Diego — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hu, Bingren — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Hu, Bingren
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 below.