[BINP Roster]

The Brain Injury and Neurovascular Pathologies [BINP] Study Section addresses the genetic, molecular and cellular basis of acute brain injury across the life span. This includes studies of neuronal cell death, the blood brain barrier and related vascular pathologies. Relevant disorders include stroke, ischemia, hypoxia, traumatic brain injury and intracerebral hemorrhage. This Study Section mainly reviews studies of animal models.  To a lesser extent, the Study Section reviews patient-oriented research and in vitro systems.

Specific areas covered by BINP:

• Development of potential therapeutics associated with molecular, cellular, and neurochemical changes in the brain following acute injury; analysis of autopsy material; therapeutic approaches to prevent or treat neuropathological damage, including identification of novel targets and pharmacological interventions.
• Animal and tissue culture models of acute brain injury and damage; generation of relevant transgenic models; models to evaluate treatments to limit or prevent cell injury and death after acute injury to the brain.
• Metabolic abnormalities after acute brain injury; neuron viability; oxidative and free radical metabolism; mitochondrial function; glial metabolism; secondary inflammation; interaction of environment, drugs, metabolites, genetics and age on cell dysfunction and neuropathology after vascular, hypoxic or ischemic injury.
• Abnormal protein and macromolecular metabolism and function; synthesis, assembly, processing, trafficking, structure/function, regulation, and degradation of proteins and other macromolecules implicated in acute brain injury.
• Mechanisms of cell degeneration following acute brain injury; neurotoxicity and mechanisms of cell death; the role of oxidative stress, free radicals, and regulation of intracellular calcium levels.
• Identification and expression of genes and proteins associated with acute injury to the nervous system.

BINP has the following shared interests within the BDCN IRG: 

• With Clinical Neuroscience and Disease [ANIE]: Both CNN and BINP review studies that deal with brain injury. ANIE reviews studies on the anatomical and functional basis of injury, while BINP reviews studies of acute brain injury at the cellular and molecular level.
• With Cell Death in Neurodegeneration [CDIN]: CDIN and BINP review studies which focus on the genetic, molecular, and cellular basis of neurodegeneration.  BINP focuses on acute brain injury and disorders related to ischemic or hypoxic neuronal cell death, the blood brain barrier, and related vascular pathologies, while CDIN reviews studies of chronic brain disorders in which neurodegeneration is a primary component of the pathological process.

• With Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors [CNBT]:  BINP and CNBT review studies that deal with inflammatory processes in the brain.  While CNBT reviews studies of neural disorders and injury that focus on immune, inflammatory and vascular mechanisms related to pathophysiological processes such as multiple sclerosis, BINP may be more appropriate for studies where inflammation is secondary to a pathophysiological process associated with acute injury.
• With Clinical Neuroplasticity and Neurotransmitters [CNNT]: CNNT and BINP review studies that propose to investigate abnormalities in neurotransmitter systems.  CNNT reviews studies that focus on the neurotransmitter function, neurotrophins, regeneration and stem cell or gene therapy for the replacement for specific neurotrophic or neurotransmitter systems, while BINP evaluates studies of the ischemic or hypoxic cell death mechanisms that may be related to these same systems.
• With Developmental Brain Disorders [DBD]: DBD and BINP share interest in molecular and cellular processes of brain function and development.  DBD reviews studies of neurodevelopmental disorders, especially when the focus is on unique aspects of the developing nervous system. BINP would be more appropriate for review of those studies in which the molecular and cellular processes to be studied are associated with acute brain injury that are common to both children and adults.

BINP has the following shared interests outside the BDCN IRG:

• With the Biobehavioral and Behavioral Processes [BBBP] IRG and the Risk, Prevention and Health Behavior [RPHB] IRGs: Studies with a primary focus on behavior and behavioral approaches, including outcomes, prevention and coping, could be reviewed in the BBBP or RPHB IRGs. Research that uses behavioral methods as indices of neurological recovery and experimental models of neurological disorders related to acute brain injury may be reviewed in BINP. 
• With the Biology of Development and Aging [BDA] IRG: Studies with a focus on multiple system manifestations of age-related neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease could be reviewed within the BDA IRG, while studies with a primary focus on mechanisms and outcomes of neurological disorders related to acute brain injury could be reviewed in BINP.
• With the Bioengineering Sciences and Technologies [BST] IRG: Studies that focus on the design, development, and introduction of technology for gene and drug delivery in the nervous system could be assigned to the BST IRG, while studies focused on the mechanisms and functional implications associated with gene and drug delivery into the central nervous system may be assigned to BINP.
• With the Cell Biology [CB] IRG: Studies focusing on basic cell processes or an emerging cell biology approach may be assigned to the CB IRG, while studies on the same processes within the context of neurological disorders related to acute brain injury may be assigned to BINP.
• With the Cardiovascular Sciences [CVS] IRG: Studies dealing with cerebral circulation and hemodynamics primarily affecting the cardiovascular system may be assigned to the CVS IRG, while those focusing on cerebral blood flow and the cellular and molecular consequences of ischemia, hypoxia and stroke on brain may be assigned to BINP.
• With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG: The GGG IRG has shared interests with BINP with respect to an interest in neurological disorders related to acute brain injury. However, when the focus is primarily on molecular genetic approaches, large-scale gene/genomic/genetic studies, gene discovery using complex or novel technologies, the application could be assigned to the GGG IRG.  BINP may be more appropriate for studies within the context of mechanisms and outcomes following acute brain injury.
• With the Health of the Population [HOP] IRG: HOP IRG may review studies dealing with acute brain injury, but with the focus on descriptive and analytical epidemiologic aspects of these neurologic disorders, while studies that focus primarily on cellular and molecular aspects of acute brain injury may be reviewed in BINP.
• With the Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience [IFCN] IRG: The IFCN IRG generally reviews studies dealing with normal aspects of brain function, while BINP reviews studies dealing with injury and resultant alterations of that normal function. For example, IFCN and BINP share common interests in the blood-brain barrier, however, if the focus of the studies is to elucidate the role of the blood-brain barrier as it relates to normal physiologic processes, then the application may be assigned to IFCN, but if the studies deal with the results of acute injury to the blood brain barrier, the application will go to BINP.  Furthermore, IFCN reviews studies focused on assessment of cognitive function in a physiological context while BINP may use the same approaches to study cognitive decline and recovery in the context of brain injury.
• With the Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Neuroscience [MDCN] IRG: The MDCN IRG reviews studies on the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms of diseases of the nervous system. If the context is basic neuroscience, then MDCN may be a more appropriate locus for review. If the primary focus is on neurological disorders related to acute brain injury and their pathophysiology, then BINP may be more appropriate.