Project Grant R56NS139353

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded $574,660 to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai on September 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to investigate neutrophil extracellular trap mitigation in ischemic stroke outcomes.

The research addresses vascular contributions to cognitive impairment and dementia following acute ischemic stroke by examining how neutrophils form extracellular traps containing DNA that increase blood viscosity and cause microvascular thrombosis. The project evaluates recombinant human DNase (rhDNase) therapy—an FDA-approved treatment for cystic fibrosis—as a means to clear microvascular plugs, restore cerebral blood flow, and improve cognitive outcomes. Preliminary studies in murine models demonstrated increased neutrophils and traps in peripheral blood and brain following ischemic stroke, and that rhDNase treatment improved cerebral blood flow and limited infarction expansion. The funded work will extend this approach to large vessel occlusion scenarios and examine inhibition of ongoing trap formation in the acute post-stroke period.

Work is performed at Mount Sinai's New York, NY location. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 30, 2027. The funding mechanism is a Project Grant, a standard NIH research award supporting defined projects over a specified timeframe.