McBride awarded grant to advance brain aneurysm research

Devin McBride, PhD, associate professor in the Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, has received a 2026 research grant from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation to investigate a potentially devastating complication of subarachnoid hemorrhage and identify new strategies to protect the brain from delayed injury.

The $30,000 grant will support McBride’s study, “Restoring Microvessel Perfusion to Prevent DND after SAH,” which focuses on improving the understanding of the cerebrovascular changes that contribute to delayed cerebral ischemia following subarachnoid hemorrhage.

“Funding from the Brain Aneurysm Foundation is crucial for new and translational projects. This funding allows the flexibility to collect preliminary data, which will be used for larger grants,” McBride said. “Brain Aneurysm Foundation awards have been instrumental in my career and have led to the identification of two markers, which are potential candidates for identifying patients who are at-risk for developing delayed cerebra ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage.”

McBride’s lab focusses on understanding the pathophysiology of subarachnoid hemorrhage, particularly focusing on delayed cerebral ischemia. Delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhaging is a critical factor in the poor prognosis of surviving patients, and the mechanisms that cause it are not fully understood.

Using live imaging, McBride and his research team are studying cerebrovascular dynamics and how changes in blood flow following subarachnoid hemorrhage contribute to subsequent brain injury. The researchers are also working to identify novel therapeutic targets and develop strategies aimed at reducing delayed cerebral ischemia.

“We have successfully tested several potential therapeutics to improve outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage,” McBride said. “This current award is to study the role of thromboinflammatory clots as a cause of microvesel occlusion, and we will test if degrading thromboinflammatory clots will improve outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. If successful, this project will move our idea towards clinical translation.”

The Brain Aneurysm Foundation has invested more than $7 million in brain aneurysm research since launching its research grant program in 2007. The early-stage grants are designed to help researchers generate preliminary data, advance technologies and diagnostics, launch clinical studies, and contribute to the formation of new companies.

The 2026 research grants awarded $650,000 in funds to support 18 projects aimed at deepening the understanding of how brain aneurysms form and rupture and advancing new approaches to detection, risk assessment, and treatment.

“Scientific opportunity in brain aneurysm research is accelerating, but access to funding has not kept pace,” said Christine Buckley, executive director of the Brain Aneurysm Foundation. “We received more applications this year than ever before, including many ambitious projects that need early evidence before they can compete for larger federal awards. BAF helps bridge that critical gap, giving researchers the resources to test bold ideas, build the data needed to attract additional support, and move the most promising discoveries closer to patients.”

McBride and other awardees will be recognized at the Brain Aneurysm Foundation’s 20th Annual Research Grant Symposium in September. The symposium will include a scientific session and an evening awards dinner honoring the recipients.

The symposium also provides a unique opportunity for those who fund the grants to meet the researchers, learn about their projects, and see firsthand the impact of their support on advancing brain aneurysm research.