Translational approaches to understand the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury and nonfatal strangulation in the context of intimate partner violence

The Defense Health Agency awarded The University of British Columbia $5.74 million through the Military Medical Research and Development program (CFDA 12.420) on September 1, 2025, for a four-year project (through August 31, 2029) titled "Translational Approaches to Understand the Pathophysiology of Traumatic Brain Injury and Nonfatal Strangulation in the Context of Intimate Partner Violence." The award supports translational research aimed at understanding the mechanisms and health impacts of traumatic brain injury and strangulation injuries sustained by intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors, with the objective of developing evidence-based medical interventions and improved clinical assessment protocols for this vulnerable population.

The research will be conducted at the University of British Columbia's Ottawa facility and involves clinical and forensic research activities through a sub-award to Fraser Health Authority. A Co-Investigator Nurse Practitioner at the Embrace Clinic in Surrey, British Columbia—Canada's only dedicated outpatient clinic specializing in medical-forensic care for interpersonal violence survivors—will enroll participants and conduct clinical and forensic assessments for multiple project components. The research will validate blood biomarkers as predictors of psychological health outcomes and neuropsychological function in IPV survivors with and without brain injury, leveraging the clinic's patient population of approximately 350 annual patients, roughly 50 percent of whom present with suspected brain injury from strangulation or head impacts.