Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) awarded a $776,881 Project Grant to Loma Linda University on June 15, 2026, under the Cardiovascular Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.837) to conduct basic research on cerebral blood flow autoregulation in newborns. The research will be conducted in Loma Linda, California, with an anticipated completion date of February 28, 2030. The primary deliverable is the generation of fundamental scientific knowledge regarding how chronic perinatal hypoxia impairs cerebral autoregulation mechanisms in newborn brains, with specific focus on the roles of mechanosensitive ion channels (TRPC6 and CAV1.2), the epigenetic regulator microRNA-210, and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in disrupting cerebral blood flow regulation.

The research employs an integrated approach combining molecular, cellular, and whole-animal methodologies using a clinically relevant newborn lamb model to elucidate the physiological mechanisms underlying neonatal cerebral autoregulation failure. Key research objectives include defining the contributions of ion channels to autoregulation both in vivo and in vitro, characterizing how chronic perinatal hypoxia disrupts this pathway, and determining the role of microRNA-210 and mitochondrial dysfunction in mediating hypoxia-induced impairment. The ultimate goal is to identify novel therapeutic targets to preserve or restore cerebral autoregulation in newborns, thereby reducing devastating brain injuries such as intraventricular hemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia that lead to lifelong neurodevelopmental impairments.