KSCHIRT: Investigating the Efficacy of BNC-1 in Alleviating Tau Pathology in TBI

Currently, therapeutic options for treatment of the secondary wave of neurodegeneration associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI) remain limited. Previous studies demonstrate a significant role for tau hyperphosphorylation in neurodegeneration following TBI although the mechanism by leading to increased tau pathology remains unclear. Based on recent studies that demonstrate a role for TAK1 kinase in tau hyperphosphorylation we propose to test the hypothesis that TAK1 inhibition mediated by a novel small molecule TAK1 kinase inhibitor developed in our lab will significantly decrease tau hyperphosphorylation and behavioral deficits in a mouse model of TBI.