Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded a Project Grant of $619,392 to Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, effective June 1, 2026, through May 31, 2031, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). This research initiative aims to molecularly deconstruct sexual dimorphism in early brain injury (EBI) following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (ASAH) by examining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as a vector for neuroglial damage and developing targeted therapeutic interventions.

The award supports a comprehensive research program utilizing human brain organoids (HBOs) and patient biofluids to identify molecular mediators and secreted factors contributing to EBI, with particular focus on understanding why women experience higher rates of poor outcomes. The research employs serially collected CSF samples from ASAH patients, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq), and proteomics analysis to evaluate the toxicological impact of patient CSF on human brain health modeled through three-dimensional tissue-like organoid systems. Key deliverables include quantified measurements of EBI using validated computed tomography (CT) imaging methods and the isolation and characterization of paracrine mediators that can be targeted for therapeutic development to improve patient outcomes following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.