Serial Metabolomic Profiling to Inform on Novel Mechanisms and Biomarkers for Stroke

• Applicant: Naomi Vlegels
• Subject Area: Molecular and Cellular Neurology and Neuropathology ; Clinical Neurology; Neurosurgery and Neuroradiology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 540798028

Strokes can be devastating, with a range of consequences that can impact a patient's quality of life. There is a clear need to enhance how we care for stroke patients but we have only very few diagnostic tools to detect and monitor what happens after stroke in our brain and body. While easily accessible, we currently ignore the thousands of molecules, mostly metabolites, that circulate in our blood. Recent research hints that these molecules can tell tales about our health and how diseases, like stroke, progress in our bodies. This proposal aims to discover special molecular patterns (or 'signatures') that can help doctors take better care of patients with stroke by monitoring brain injury as well as what happens in our body, predicting how the injury might progress, and making decisions about treatment. Step by step we will: (i) examine how and when which molecules change in our body after a stroke; (ii) link molecules with outcomes after stroke to learn about those molecules that are important for a patient's recovery after a stroke; (iii) understand why these molecules are important for stroke recovery; and (iv) study whether specific parts of the brain, when injured, lead to changes in our body's molecular make-up. This will help us understand the big picture of the stroke's impact. For this ambitious project, we will make use of a novel and unique cohort of more than 500 stroke patients. Beyond longitudinally collected molecular information, the prepared dataset also includes genetic, clinical, and imaging details. With this rich dataset and advanced computational tools, we are confident about making strides in understanding stroke at a deeper level. In other terms, in this proposal we are trying to read the body's secret language. By understanding the signals our body sends out after a stroke, we could improve our monitoring and care of stroke patients and improve their outcomes. This is not just about better stroke care; it is about redefining how we view and treat this life-changing event.

• DFG Programme: WBP Position