# Project isoPTE: isothermic post-traumatic epilepsy miRNA biomarker detection

> **NIH NIH R43** · FYR DIAGNOSTICS, INC. · 2020 · $284,262

## Abstract

Project Summary
Acquired epilepsy results from acute brain injury, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). Acquired epilepsy
is a major public health issue with inadequate treatment and diagnostic options. There are no
biomarkers that assist in the prediction or diagnosis of acquired epilepsy. Project isoPTE will use two
animal models of epilepsy to determine whether plasma microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers can predict or
diagnose epilepsy caused by brain injury.
miRNA expression is reliably altered in both experimental and clinical epilepsy and can be used to
differentially diagnose epilepsy and determine TBI severity. We hypothesize that plasma miRNA have
biomarker utility in PTE. This project will be the first to rigorously test this hypothesis.
The isoPTE assay will be comprised of FYR Diagnostics’ proprietary UDAR (Ultrasensitive DNA
Amplification Reaction) isothermal chemistry and a set of PTE-associated miRNAs. Our novel assay will
meet the unmet needs to diagnose PTE.
This project has strong commercialization potential and can lead to marketable products. Successful
results will demonstrate that miRNA can rapidly and accurately predict and/or diagnose epilepsy. This
will provide rationale for subsequent human studies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9999062
- **Project number:** 5R43NS113682-02
- **Recipient organization:** FYR DIAGNOSTICS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** BRAXTON NORWOOD
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $284,262
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9999062

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9999062, Project isoPTE: isothermic post-traumatic epilepsy miRNA biomarker detection (5R43NS113682-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9999062. Licensed CC0.

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