Disease Area
Neuro Injury Biomarker Research
Prevena Health is investigating molecular signals associated with traumatic brain injury, concussion, and neuroinflammation. Our platform aims to support sports medicine, military health, and clinical research through continuous biomarker surveillance.
Our Approach
Continuous molecular monitoring for neurological injury research.
Traumatic brain injury and concussion represent significant challenges across multiple populations, from contact sport athletes and military service members to accident survivors and elderly individuals at risk of falls. Despite the prevalence and impact of these conditions, objective molecular assessment tools remain limited in many clinical and field settings.
Prevena Health is developing a continuous biomarker surveillance platform that aims to provide longitudinal molecular data relevant to neuro injury research. By tracking injury-associated analytes over time, our platform may support researchers studying the dynamics of neural damage, recovery trajectories, and cumulative injury effects.
The wearable, non-invasive nature of our platform is being designed with field deployment in mind, potentially supporting research in environments where traditional laboratory testing is impractical, such as sideline sports medicine assessments, military field operations, and remote clinical settings.
Key Biomarkers
Molecular markers associated with neural injury and neuroinflammation.
NfL (Neurofilament Light Chain)
A structural protein of neurons released during axonal damage. NfL is one of the most widely studied blood-based biomarkers associated with neural injury, with elevated levels observed following TBI, concussion, and in chronic neurodegenerative processes.
GFAP (Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein)
An astrocytic protein released during brain injury and associated with blood-brain barrier disruption. GFAP has received regulatory attention as part of multi-marker panels for evaluating traumatic brain injury in research and clinical settings.
UCH-L1 (Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase L1)
A neuronal enzyme associated with brain cell injury. UCH-L1, often assessed alongside GFAP, is being investigated for its potential to support objective assessment of TBI severity in research contexts.
Tau Protein
A microtubule-associated protein that, when released into the bloodstream, is associated with axonal injury and neurodegeneration. Total tau and phosphorylated tau variants are being studied for their role in understanding cumulative brain injury effects.
S100B
A calcium-binding protein expressed primarily in glial cells. S100B is associated with blood-brain barrier permeability and has been investigated as a marker of brain injury severity, though it is not exclusive to neural tissue.
Why It Matters
Why objective molecular data matters for neuro injury.
Concussion assessment remains largely subjective. Current sideline and clinical concussion evaluations rely heavily on symptom reporting and cognitive testing. Objective molecular biomarker data may provide a complementary, quantitative layer to support these assessments in research settings.
Cumulative injury effects are poorly understood. Repeated subconcussive impacts and recurrent TBI may lead to long-term neurological consequences. Continuous biomarker monitoring may support research into how molecular signals change over repeated exposures.
Return-to-play and return-to-duty decisions need better data. Determining when an athlete or service member has sufficiently recovered from a brain injury is challenging. Longitudinal biomarker trends may eventually provide researchers with objective recovery trajectory data.
Field-deployable tools are lacking. Many neuro injury biomarker assessments require laboratory equipment unavailable outside hospital settings. A wearable, continuous monitoring platform may support research in sports venues, military environments, and remote clinical locations.
Prevena Health's platform is in development and is not commercially available. It has not been cleared, approved, or authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or any other regulatory body. It is not a diagnostic device. Content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Partner with us on neuro injury biomarker research.
We are seeking sports medicine organizations, military research institutions, and neuroscience labs to explore continuous biomarker surveillance for traumatic brain injury and neuroinflammation research.
Partner With Us