ASU Football Joins TGen, Riddell For Concussion Study

September 12, 2013

Some of Arizona State University’s football players are helping researchers to better understand the molecular markers of concussions. The goal is to make head injuries easier to quickly identify and treat. ASU is the first university to partner with TGen and Riddell to study whether a player’s molecules change after a head impact.

About 40 Sun Devils have volunteered to take part. Researchers took a blood or saliva sample from each player before training camp and are continuing to gather samples during practices and games. They hope to find blood-based markers linked to sub-concussive hits, which are more routine but also potentially dangerous.

Participating players are also wearing monitors in their helmets that provide real-time information about each head impact, and the study will look at molecular information from any players who suffer a concussion and monitor how they recover.

The project will run throughout ASU’s 2013 season.