# Identifying targeting antibodies in an in vitro model of the human blood-brain barrier during ischemic stroke

> **NIH NIH P20** · WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $196,960

## Abstract

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability and death in the US. One of the contributing factors to this 
is the lack of FDA approved treatments for chronic stroke. Aside from tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), 
there are no other approved therapeutics with disease modifying effects; current therapy is entirely focused 
on symptom management and rehabilitation. This is in part due to the lack of understanding of the 
underlying mechanisms involved, as well as the difficulty of delivering therapeutics through the blood-brain 
barrier (BBB) and into the brain. This project aims to address both of these difficulties through the 
development of a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived model of the BBB incorporating 
hiPSC derived brain microvascular endothelial like cells (BMECs), astrocytes, and neurons. Using a 3D 
microvessel platform ischemia will be modeled using perturbations in shear flow, oxygen concentration, 
and nutrient availability. The resultant phenotype of the cells will be investigated using live cell microscopy 
to measure permeability of fluorescent tracer molecules, as well as morphological changes in the cells. 
Using this model, as well as a simplified 2D model of ischemia, a library of antibodies will be screened for 
improved targeting and delivery to the human ischemic brain. Finally, the antibodies identified in the screen 
will be tested for efficacy in delivering known non-brain penetrant neuroprotectant growth factors to the 
ischemic brain both in the in vitro model and in a mouse model of stroke. In summary, this project will 
establish a human specific model of the BBB during ischemic stroke and identify antibodies that are able to 
specifically target and deliver therapeutics to the ischemic region of the brain.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10761258
- **Project number:** 5P20GM109098-08
- **Recipient organization:** WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Moriah Katt
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $196,960
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-27 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10761258

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10761258, Identifying targeting antibodies in an in vitro model of the human blood-brain barrier during ischemic stroke (5P20GM109098-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10761258. Licensed CC0.

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