(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-05)
Heydari, Tara
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) impairs populations both physically and financially, explaining about 75% of all head injuries and costing over $60 billion in the United States (Ahmed et.al, 2015 and Maas et. al, 2010). Through histopathological techniques and imaging, we measured the GFAP response to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in a preclinical rat model using a heterogenous experimental design to mimic the heterogeneity in the human population as closely as possible. Using an ANOVA statistical analysis, the variance between the average astrocytic area in each group will be assessed for significance with respective post-hoc analyses to follow. Due to the lab closings of COVID-19, the results and statistical analyses have not been conducted, although all the data has been collected and measured. The significance of this translational neurotrauma study lies in its aforementioned heterogenous research design to build upon the foundation for the bridge between the laboratory and the clinical settings.
(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2021-05)
Bryant, Graham G.
This research project employs an untargeted approach using RNA sequencing to identify miRNA in saliva following a traumatic brain injury, specifically a concussion, to better understand how acute brain injuries can be diagnosed and treated. There is currently no biological test in place for diagnosing concussions, which are one of the most frequently observed sport related injuries. This study is invested in determining novel molecular biomarkers in saliva that are associated with concussion so that they can then be correlated with symptoms of concussion. The study predicted that salivary miRNA levels are altered in children with concussion, and there will be a significant difference in levels of miRNA at baseline (pre-injury) and post-injury in athletes. By determining novel biomarkers, noninvasive saliva testing may help to better identify concussions and prevent premature return to play as well as a better understanding of injury mechanisms.