Developmental age specific neuroprotective therapies for perinatal brain injury

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development awarded the University of Washington $406,020 on May 20, 2026, under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865) to develop developmental age-specific neuroprotective therapies for perinatal brain injury, specifically addressing hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in late preterm infants (34–36 weeks' gestation). The research targets a gap between term infant HIE treated with therapeutic hypothermia and preterm white matter injury. Work is performed in Seattle, Washington, with a period of performance ending April 30, 2028. The assistance type is a Project Grant (R21HD118142).

Abstract

Perinatal brain injury such as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is associated with a high risk of mortality and morbidity including intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, hearing or vision impairment. No therapies currently for late preterm(34-36 weeks' gestation) HIE , which falls in a research GAP between term (37-40 weeks' gestation) HIE treated with therapeutic hypothermia and preterm white matter injury frequently seen in infants born