Watching how adenosine changes brain chemicals in real time
Multiplexed neurochemical methods to understand adenosine neuromodulation
The team is making tools to watch fast bursts of adenosine in the brain and see how those bursts change other brain signals for people with stroke or brain injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251593 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I have a brain injury or stroke, this project is building new tools that can watch very fast chemical signals in my brain. The researchers combine a fast chemical-sensing method (fast-scan cyclic voltammetry) with new fluorescent sensors to track adenosine and measure its effects on dopamine, glutamate, and calcium. They will use these combined methods in the lab to map when and where adenosine is released and how it changes nearby neuronal activity. Over time, these maps and tools could help guide treatments that protect or restore brain function after injury.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had a recent stroke, traumatic brain injury, or who are enrolled in clinical research on brain signaling would be the most relevant candidates for related future studies.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to brain neurotransmission (for example purely peripheral organ diseases) are unlikely to get direct benefit from this tool development work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable better monitoring of harmful or protective chemical signals in the brain and point to new treatments that target adenosine to limit damage after stroke or trauma.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work from this lab has successfully detected transient adenosine with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry and other groups have developed fluorescent neurotransmitter sensors, but combining these approaches is a new step.
Where this research is happening
Charlottesville, United States
- University of Virginia — Charlottesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Venton, B. Jill — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Venton, B. Jill
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.