Five Grants Awarded through Brain Injury Research Fund

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) awarded five grants through the Brain Injury Research Fund for 2025, awarding $85,000 to five applicants researching brain injury.

Now in its sixth year, the Brain Injury Research Fund was established with the goal of finding cures for chronic brain injury. The program is grounded in the understanding that for some people, brain injury evolves into a chronic health condition that can cause or accelerate multiple diseases.

“The studies chosen this year take on additional importance as attention is growing in the U.S. and internationally to recognize and address brain injury as a chronic condition,” said John D. Corrigan, PhD, National Research Director for BIAA. “I am once again impressed with the quality of submissions we received, and with the creative thinking that inspired this year’s projects.”

This year’s recipients, listed below, include two Brain Injury Scholar Seed Grants, one Young Investigator Seed Grant, and two Dissertation Grants. To date, BIAA has awarded more than $380,000 through the Brain Injury Research Fund.

Brain Injury Scholar Seed Grants

Applicant: James Eckner, MD

Applicant Institution: University of Michigan

Project: University of Michigan Alumni Brain Health Study: Blood Biomarker Addition

Amount: $25,000

Applicant: Xiaodi Chen, MD, PhD

Applicant Institution: Department of Pediatrics at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University

Project: Syn3 Effects on Chronic Inflammation and Neurodevelopment in Neonatal HIE

Amount: $25,000

Young Investigator Seed Grant

Applicant: Ashley Russell, PhD

Mentor: Amy Wagner, MD

Applicant Institution: University of Pittsburgh

Project: Low Dose Naltrexone as a Rehabilitation-Relevant Therapeutic to Promote Recovery after Severe TBI

Amount: $25,000

Dissertation Grants

Applicant: Brenda Lujan

Mentor: Jonathan Lifshitz, PhD

Applicant Institution: University of Arizona

Project: The Pathophysiology of Traumatic Brain Injury Crosses Generations in Pregnancy Amount: $5,000

Applicant: Elise Webber

Mentor: Grace Stutzman, PhD

Applicant Institution: Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Project: Traumatic Brain Injury and Chronic Stress, Comorbid Contributors to Alzheimer’s Disease

Amount: $5,000