The University of Iowa Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network to Support Translational Studies for Acute Cerebroprotection

Project Summary The University of Iowa (UIowa) is poised to advance the field of cerebroprotection in patients with acute ischemic stroke by remaining as a site for the NIH Stroke Preclinical Assessment Network (SPAN)’s translational research infrastructure to efficiently conduct rigorous and innovative comparative studies of cerebroprotection in the context of reperfusion. UIowa-SPAN has consistently followed a rigorous, clinical trial-like approach to avoid the methodological mistakes of past cerebroprotection research. Specifically, we use randomization, blinded intervention, independent outcome adjudications, and intention-to-treat analyses to interpret and report our animal studies. We also address the effect of sex and comorbidities to increase the translational value of our research. UIowa-SPAN brings together a team of basic and translational scientists that integrates technical expertise with logistics. This has resulted in the top performance during the first iteration of SPAN, consistently leading the enrollment efficiency of the network while producing the highest quality data based on the metrics. We aim to maintain or exceed this performance if selected as a site in the new iteration of the network. Notably, the goals of UIowa-SPAN are aligned with those of UIowa’s regional coordinating center for StrokeNet, a NIH clinical trial network with the mission of identifying and testing promising stroke therapies. We are also proposing innovations to multiple aspects of the SPAN, including minimizing overall data variability, technical improvements in the embolic clot rodent model, and improvements to the internal validity of the current outcome measures, using artificial intelligence to interpret corner tests and alternative computation methods for the grid walk test. Our goal is to rigorously and efficiently identify which cerebroprotective interventions are likely to succeed in clinical trials in order to improve the outcomes of the 800,000 Americans who suffer a stroke and are currently treated with reperfusion strategies that have limited effectiveness.