Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are developing new therapies aimed at improving outcomes for patients with serious neurological conditions, including neurotrauma such as spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries, stroke and brain cancer.
In recognition of Brain Cancer Awareness Month and National Stroke Awareness Month, the Harbert Institute is highlighting UAB innovations focused on addressing neuroinflammation, a core contributor to damage in both acute and chronic brain disorders.
Peter King, M.D., Professor and Vice Chair of Neurology at UAB and Chief of Neurology at the Birmingham VA Medical Center, and Louis B. Nabors, M.D., Professor and Vice-Chair of Research and Neurology at UAB, are developing a drug known as SRI-42127. The drug is designed to inhibit HuR, an RNA-binding protein that plays a central role in regulating inflammation in the brain.
“HuR regulates the expression of a broad range of inflammatory mediators and growth factors,” Nabors said. “It is expressed in multiple cell types in the brain, including the neurons and glial cells, and peripheral immune cells that infiltrate the brain as part of the neuroinflammatory response.”
Unlike traditional approaches that target a single inflammatory pathway, this research focuses on a central control point. 
Louis B. Nabors, M.D., and Peter King, M.D.
“Treatments reducing inflammation have generally targeted individual cell types or signaling pathways,” King said. “SRI targets HuR, which is a regulatory node for a broad range of proinflammatory molecules.”
Because multiple inflammatory pathways are activated at once in conditions like stroke and brain injury, targeting HuR may suppress several harmful processes at the same time.
A promising approach for strokes
This approach is especially promising for strokes, because damage does not stop after the initial event. Inflammation that follows can cause significant secondary injury to brain tissue, sometimes worse than the original stroke.
“Neuroinflammation in the acute phase of stroke produces significant secondary tissue damage that can be worse than the initial stroke,” Nabors said. “Suppressing neuroinflammation with SRI would mitigate the secondary injury and improve outcome.”
Because stroke treatment is highly time-sensitive, therapies that reduce damage after the event could play a critical role in recovery. While current treatments focus on restoring blood flow, there are still no widely available drugs that directly protect brain tissue.
By targeting HuR, SRI-42127 may help preserve brain function and improve long-term recovery for patients.
Potential broader impact on brain health
The therapy may also have important applications in brain cancer. Inflammatory signals in the brain can support tumor growth, help cancer cells survive, and contribute to resistance to treatment.
By targeting HuR, researchers hope to reduce these signals and potentially slow tumor progression.
Beyond stroke and brain cancer, the implications of this research may extend to a wide range of neurological disorders.
Neuroinflammation plays a role in conditions ranging from traumatic spinal cord and brain injuries to chronic diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Early findings suggest that targeting HuR could help reduce inflammation and improve outcomes across multiple conditions.
Looking ahead
The drug is currently being tested in experimental models of acute stroke, where researchers are measuring its effects on inflammation and recovery.
“Our goal is to initiate a human trial with an optimized version of this drug within the next five years,” King said.
As technology and scientific methods continue to evolve, researchers believe the pace of discovery in brain health will accelerate.
“The advancement of technology and scientific methodology has accelerated drug discovery,” King said. “This will lead to new treatments for neurological disorders.”
To learn more about their work, contact the inventors at
-- May 15, 2026