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Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed a blood biomarker approach that may help assess traumatic brain injuries and detect damage not visible on initial scans. Published in the journal Neurosurgery, the study examined two proteins, GFAP and UCH-L1, which are linked to brain cell damage. GFAP levels measured within 24 hours of injury were better at distinguishing patients with imaging evidence of injury from those whose initial scans showed no clear signs of damage. Researchers said symptoms may persist despite normal CT scans, while MRI scans may later reveal injuries that were initially missed. Blood biomarker tests could help guide further assessment and treatment. The team is exploring the use of these tests in emergency departments, including point-of-care testing, as well as their potential to predict long-term outcomes.

Invest Qatar and Brain Co, a Silicon Valley-based applied artificial intelligence (AI) company, Sunday announced a partnership to accelerate AI adoption across Qatar's public and private sectors through joint pilot programmes, talent development and knowledge transfer, as the country moves to cement its position as a regional hub for technology and innovation.The agreement sets out a framework for the two sides to jointly identify, develop and support AI adoption initiatives and pilot programmes with public and private sector stakeholders in Qatar, turning AI opportunities into practical applications that address sector-specific priorities.The collaboration is aligned with the objectives of Qatar's Third National Development Strategy (NDS3) and the National AI Strategy, and will support the country's digital transformation ambitions.Talent development and upskilling will be a key focus. Invest Qatar and Brain Co will work together on training, knowledge transfer and capacity-building initiatives in AI and related technologies to strengthen local capabilities and develop the expertise needed for the continued growth of Qatar's digital and technology sectors.Under the partnership, Invest Qatar, the national investment promotion agency, will support Brain Co's expansion in Qatar and the wider region by connecting it with relevant government and private sector stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration and supporting its engagement with the country's growing technology and innovation ecosystem.Invest Qatar Chief Executive Officer His Excellency Sheikh Ali bin Alwaleed al-Thani said: "This partnership reflects Qatar's commitment to harnessing advanced technologies to drive innovation and create new opportunities for sustainable economic growth. The collaboration with Brain Co will also contribute to developing local talent and capabilities, supporting a future-ready workforce equipped to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven global economy."Omid Raghimi, President of Qatar Business at Brain Co, emphasised the importance of the collaboration with Invest Qatar. He pointed to the company's track record in the country, including what it describes as the world's first AI-powered building permit system, delivered with the Ministry of Municipality, as well as its work in the energy sector and a growing focus on healthcare.These successes, he said, demonstrated "what applied AI can achieve when built hand in hand with the country's institutions".Raghimi said Brain Co was committed to helping the government tackle its most challenging problems and bottlenecks to unlock NDS3 milestones, with a focus on healthcare, energy, financial services and the regulatory sector."Our mission is simple in Qatar: to build AI products that deliver immediate impact in everyday life, solving the major problems that government organisations and people face and making life in Qatar tangibly better," he said.The partnership builds on Brain Co's growing presence in Qatar. At Web Summit Qatar 2026 earlier this year, the company announced plans to establish a flagship office in Doha, which will draw on its AI expertise and institutional partnerships to support Qatar's ambition to become a global hub for technology and innovation.

Neuroinflammation is linked to a host of detrimental brain disorders, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. A collaborative research team from Houston Methodist and Rice University has developed a way to fight back with a tiny, bioengineered system to deliver anti-inflammatory proteins to specific targets in the brain. The study, recently published in Biomaterials, was led by Robert Krencik, an associate professor in the Center for Neuroregeneration and Department of Neurosurgery at the Houston Methodist Research Institute. The paper reveals the creation of AstroCapsules, a revolutionary union of bioengineering and neuroscience that encloses human astrocytes (star-shaped, resident brain cells that are crucial to healthy function of the central nervous system) within small biocompatible hydrogel capsules. The researchers found that when astrocytes within the capsules were armed with a secreted anti-inflammatory protein (interleukin-1 receptor antagonist or IL-1Ra), they could significantly reduce neuroinflammation (measured through inflammatory biomarkers). "This system solves several current problems with cell-based therapeutics to the nervous system," Krencik said. "Because the capsules will form a physical barrier between the implanted astrocytes and brain tissue, cells are expected to locally secrete anti-inflammatory proteins while avoiding immune rejection and unwanted migration throughout the brain. This will increase the stability of the treatment while reducing side effects."