Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Boston University Medical Campus a Project Grant of $649,800 on May 7, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program. The research will be conducted through February 28, 2031, at the institution's Roxbury, Massachusetts facility.

This award funds a comprehensive investigation into the impact of social isolation, loneliness, and social support on vascular brain injury and stroke outcomes. The research will utilize two large prospective population-based cohorts—the Framingham Heart Study (FHS) and UK Biobank (UKB)—to examine associations between poor social relationships and subclinical cerebral small vessel disease, clinical stroke incidence, and post-stroke recovery. The project includes two primary aims: (1) determining associations between unfavorable social exposures across the lifespan and brain vascular injury burden, stroke risk, and post-stroke outcomes; and (2) investigating pathways linking social factors to brain outcomes through vascular risk factors via mediation analyses and Mendelian randomization. The deliverables include epidemiological analyses, risk prediction tools incorporating social factors, and evidence establishing social factors as actionable targets for stroke prevention and recovery interventions.