The TIME-ICH project will study, for the first time, the epigenetic mechanisms involved in brain edema after hemorrhagic stroke.
Dr. Cristina Gallego, postdoctoral researcher in our group, has obtained funding from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III to develop pioneering research on intracerebral hemorrhage. Dr. Cristina Gallego Fàbrega, leader of the Epigenetics and Biological Age research line within the Pharmacogenomics and Neurovascular Genetics Group, will lead this ambitious three-year project, supported by more than €211,000.
The TIME-ICH project (Temporal Investigation of Methylation and Edema in Intracerebral Hemorrhage) addresses one of the major challenges in neurology: perihematomal edema, a complication that significantly worsens neurological damage after a brain hemorrhage and for which no consistently effective treatments currently exist.
“Until now, no studies have explored the relationship between DNA methylation patterns and the progression of edema in intracerebral hemorrhage,” explains Dr. Gallego. “Our project aims to expand knowledge in this area through the first longitudinal study to dynamically analyze these epigenetic patterns.”
This research, which will take place over the next three years beginning in January 2026, is structured into three main stages:
- Discovery of genetic markers:
Researchers will analyze blood samples from patients to identify molecular “signatures” that predict how brain inflammation will evolve after the hemorrhage. - Confirmation in brain tissue:
The findings will be validated by directly studying brain tissue, ensuring that the markers identified in blood truly reflect what happens in the brain. - Development of new treatments:
With the identified markers, the team will search for existing drugs that could be repurposed to treat this condition or develop new therapies specifically targeting these mechanisms.
We anticipate that the results of TIME-ICH will improve the clinical management and treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage. “We hope to identify early those patients at higher risk of complications, which would allow for personalized treatments and significantly improve prognosis,” highlights Dr. Gallego.
