Federal Grant Award Summary

Yale University received a $251,813 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853), effective May 19, 2026 through April 30, 2028. The award funds the STROKE-CLOCK Study, a proteomics research initiative designed to identify and validate blood-based biomarker panels capable of estimating stroke onset time and differentiating acute ischemic stroke (AIS) from stroke mimics in emergency department patients.

The study leverages plasma samples from Yale's Emergency Medicine Specimen Biobank to conduct mass spectrometry-based proteomics analysis on adult patients presenting with acute neurological symptoms. The research deliverables include identification and validation of protein biomarkers that distinguish early-onset AIS (≤4.5 hours) from late-onset AIS (>4.5 hours) and develop diagnostic capabilities to differentiate stroke patients from stroke mimics. This research addresses a critical clinical gap, as approximately one-third of AIS patients present with unknown symptom onset times, rendering them ineligible for intravenous thrombolysis, while over 50% of patients evaluated for suspected stroke ultimately receive alternative diagnoses, resulting in unnecessary interventions and healthcare resource utilization.