Improving Stroke Care: How nursing science is shaping the future of treatment
Every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States experience a stroke. Approximately 610,000 of these are first-time strokes, and 87% of all strokes are ischemic, which occurs when blood flow to the brain is blocked. Helena Morrison, PhD, RN, associate professor at the College of Nursing, is advancing stroke science to improve stroke patient outcomes by studying brain immune cells known as microglia.
Morrison’s research grant, funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant as part of the Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Teams program, explores entrepreneurship in the context of stroke science. She conducts essential basic science that establishes the foundation for future applications in human medicine. Her work often involves collaborations with private industry, particularly pharmaceutical developers and colleagues from the U of A College of Medicine, showcasing her interdisciplinary approach to advancing healthcare.
Morrison states, “The I-Corps program is helping us translate our scientific discoveries into practical applications that can ultimately improve patient care in stroke therapies and management.” Morrison’s grant, Assessment of Ischemic Stroke with Imaging Biomarker-Potential Customer Discovery and Interview, is part of the NSF’s I-Corps Teams program. The program provides immersive, seven-week experiential training designed to prepare researchers to commercialize their technologies. This entrepreneurial approach has enabled over 1,380 I-Corps teams to launch startups and small businesses, raising more than $3.16 billion in subsequent funding.
Through the NSF I-Corps training grant, Morrison and the team conducted over 100 customer discovery interviews across three key stakeholder groups: preclinical researchers, clinical researchers, and patient care providers yielding valuable insights into market needs and challenges. The team’s interviews with 52 preclinical researchers confirmed a significant unmet need for objective and translatable measures of post-stroke brain injury, with their primary concerns focused on translational barriers and the lack of objective measurement tools. Morrison’s group also interviewed eight clinical researchers to explore the potential use of technology as a clinical trial endpoint. They expressed primary concerns regarding feasibility issues and the historically poor translation of preclinical research. Interviews with 35 patient care providers indicated their focus was mainly on acute care and prevention rather than chronic management, with additional technology perceived as a possible barrier to care access.
“Dr. Morrison’s research demonstrates the significant impact of nursing science on advancing stroke care,” said Brian Ahn, PhD, Dean of the College of Nursing. “Her NSF I-Corps grant not only confirms the importance of her work but also emphasizes the role of nursing in fostering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.”
Sheila M. Gephart, PhD, RN, FAAN, interim chair of the Nursing and Health Sciences Division, said, “Dr. Morrison’s research exemplifies the forward-thinking approach needed to tackle complex healthcare challenges. Through her innovative work and collaboration with industry and clinical partners, she addresses critical gaps in stroke research and advances new possibilities for patient care. Her dedication to bridging science and practice is a powerful example of how nursing research can drive meaningful change.”
Currently, Morrison is working on a collaborative project with Kristian Doyle, PhD, associate professor, U of A Department of Immunobiology, and Iman Daryaei, PhD, Co-Founder and CEO of TheraCea Pharma, to develop an imaging modality using MRI and PET technology to quantify post-stroke chronic injury.
Morrison says her research into stroke drug development has progressed through several stages. In 2021, she was awarded a grant to partner with Tucson-based NuvOx to test their stroke treatment candidate, NanO2™. This initial research phase addressed gaps in preclinical data, focusing on testing the treatment in aged animals and examining long-term functional outcomes. Her work with NuvOx ended in 2023, but the research continues to develop, suggesting potential applications for administration in emergency settings, such as in emergency rooms or ambulances.
Morrison began her career as an intensive care nurse. Her passion for understanding complex biological systems and their health implications led her to complete a PhD in Nursing from the U of A College of Nursing. Morrison’s commitment to advancing stroke research reflects her dedication to bridging the gap between fundamental science and clinical application by working with interdisciplinary teams.
Morrison’s research exemplifies nursing science’s power to drive healthcare innovation. By combining rigorous scientific inquiry and clinical experience with an entrepreneurial mindset, she is advancing our understanding of stroke and paving the way for future clinical applications that could improve patient outcomes. As she continues her collaborative efforts, Morrison remains committed to translating her discoveries into real-world solutions, demonstrating how nursing research plays a vital role in shaping the future of medicine. Through her work, she is helping to redefine stroke care, offering hope for improved treatment and recovery for countless patients.