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Funding Research Today to Prevent Ruptures Tomorrow

Through BAF support, researchers studying new diagnostic strategies designed to expand screening and improve understanding of brain aneurysm risk—before ruptures occur.

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2026 Research Grant Spotlight

The Brain Aneurysm Foundation is proud to support groundbreaking research aimed at improving outcomes for patients and ultimately preventing ruptures. Each week, we’ll highlight one of our 2026 funded researchers and provide a brief overview of their project and its potential impact on patients, families, and the future of care.

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Christian Lopez Blanco, BS

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Neuromodulation for the Prevention and Treatment of Cerebral Vasospasm

This project tests two non-invasive and minimally invasive ways to stimulate the nervous system, one applied at the ear and one applied near the spine, to see which one better prevents the dangerous narrowing of brain blood vessels (vasospasm) that often follows a ruptured brain aneurysm. Right now, vasospasm is one of the leading causes of stroke and death after this kind of bleed, and current treatments are limited. The goal is to find a safer, more effective way to protect the brain in the days after a rupture.

This project is funded by the Fight Like Frank Chair of Research

The Facts

1 in 50 people in the U.S. has an unruptured brain aneurysm
A brain aneurysm ruptures every 18 minutes
Early detection is critical as most brain aneurysms are treatable
The federal government spends only $3.02 per year on brain aneurysm research for each person afflicted

Personal Stories

Alonna’s Story – Video

After surviving a ruptured brain aneurysm and enduring a long and difficult recovery, Alonna became determined to protect her children by seeking screening for her sons.
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Mariana’s Story – Video

After losing her mother to a ruptured AVM, Mariana understood firsthand how devastating a brain bleed can be.
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Aretha’s Story – Video

On August 11, 2022, Aretha’s life changed in an instant when she experienced a sudden brain aneurysm rupture during a work video call.
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Sarah Jean’s Story – Video

Sarah’Jean’s rapid diagnosis and treatment after a ruptured brain aneurysm highlight the lifesaving importance of immediate medical attention and the ongoing need for better screening, research, and access to care.
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Danisha’s Story – Video

After experiencing symptoms for nearly a decade that were repeatedly dismissed as migraines, Danisha suffered a life-threatening rupture in 2017 while home alone recovering from surgery.
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Honoring Katelyn’s Memory – Video

Katelyn Caruso passed away at 31 from a ruptured brain aneurysm. Her family stresses the need for research funding, given that brain aneurysms affect 1 in 50 people and early detection can prevent ruptures.
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Our Impact

The Brain Aneurysm Foundation is the leading advocacy organization supporting education, research, and policy to transform the treatment of brain aneurysms. Funds raised are used for disease awareness efforts and grants that provide support to academic researchers studying the underlying biology of aneurysms or developing new treatment methods. Grantees include leading academic researchers whose work includes efforts to develop biomarkers to better predict and develop potential therapeutics for aneurysms, understand the impact of genetics on rupture outcomes, and create new device technology, drug delivery and robotic approaches to evolve treatment. The BAF has committed nearly $6 million to fund dozens of research efforts in the U.S. and Canada.

Over $6.5 million

has been funded by the BAF since the inception of our research grant program in 2007
Discover The Program
7,500 primary care professionals

are educated each year by the BAF via PriMed
Watch Webinars
We advocate on Capitol Hill

to seek greater brain aneurysm specific research funding through NIH
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Take Action

Donate

Your donation to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation goes directly to critical research efforts focused on reducing the incidence of brain aneurysm ruptures, to create new diagnostics to better prevent ruptures and interventions to transform treatment. Funds are also used to support our education initiatives as we work to advance awareness of the signs of brain aneurysms amongst those at risk, as well as providers and emergency responders.

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