Resilient yet vulnerable, the human brain is at the heart of everything we do. When it experiences trauma, the consequences can be far-reaching and often invisible to the naked eye. Traumatic brain injury (TBI), ranging from mild concussions to more severe injuries, affects millions globally, impacting individuals, families, and communities. While moderate and severe brain injuries are visible on imaging, the subtle complexities of mild TBI (mTBI) continue to present diagnostic and treatment challenges.

Join us for this three-part series, where we sit down with Dr. Anne Naclerio, Chief Medical Officer of Polaris Genomics, who guides us through the current landscape of TBI research, outlining the limitations of today’s diagnostic methods and shedding light on the potential of biomarker insights. Whether you’re a researcher, investor, healthcare professional, athlete, service member, TBI survivor, or simply seeking to better understand this understudied yet critical issue of human health, this series explores a new frontier for brain injuries – how we understand them, and how to better prevent and treat them.

PART ONE: Understanding Brain Injuries: Biomarker
Insights are Changing the Future of TBI Care

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects millions worldwide, from athletes on the field to military personnel in active duty, and everyday individuals experiencing accidents. While severe TBIs are often readily apparent, a significant and often overlooked challenge lies in the realm of mild TBI (mTBI), which includes concussion. In this first part of our series, we delve into the current landscape of TBI research, diagnosis, and treatment with Dr. Anne Naclerio, Chief Medical Officer of Polaris Genomics, to understand the hurdles we face and the promising paths forward.

First, Dr. Naclerio establishes that the recognition of mTBI as a significant health concern has grown considerably over the past decade. “We’ve realized that while severe brain injuries are quite obvious, there are more subtle injuries from concussions where individuals might still appear functional but have indeed sustained brain injury,” she explains. These seemingly less severe injuries can lead to long-term issues if not properly identified and managed, highlighting a critical gap in our current approach.

One of the most significant challenges lies in the subjective nature of current diagnostic tools, particularly in military populations. Dr. Naclerio points to the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE) as an example. “These are questionnaires used to assess service members after potential exposure to trauma, such as explosions,” she notes. While valuable as initial screening tools, these surveys lack the objective precision needed for definitive diagnosis and management. Similarly, sideline assessments in sports rely on subjective evaluations of symptoms and cognitive function.

The current “gold standard” for TBI diagnosis often involves a patient’s history, physical examination, and neuroimaging techniques like CT scans and MRIs. While crucial for identifying structural damage in more severe cases, these methods fall short in the nuanced world of mTBI. Imaging can be expensive, time-consuming, and may not reveal the subtle functional changes that characterize milder injuries. This is where the limitations of our current understanding become stark, leaving clinicians with an incomplete picture of the injury’s impact.

However, the last 5 to 10 years have witnessed a significant evolution in our understanding of TBI, driven by increased research and awareness, particularly around the long-term consequences of repetitive head trauma and blast exposure. 

This growing recognition has fueled the search for more objective and sensitive diagnostic tools. As Dr. Naclerio emphasizes, “There’s been a lot more attention and recognition of these mild traumatic brain injuries, and that area of research has really grown.” This heightened awareness, coupled with advancements in RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), has paved the way for biomarker insights to expedite our understanding and treatment of TBI and mTBI.

Stay tuned for part two of this mini-series exploring the evolving landscape of TBI research and the potential of biomarker insights. The work being done at Polaris Genomics represents a significant leap forward in our ability to understand and ultimately treat traumatic brain injuries.

If you are interested in partnering with us or exploring investment opportunities, please reach out. By working together, we can unlock the full potential of biomarker-based research and transform brain injury care.