Dr. Joshua Gatson is Studying TBI
Assistant Professor Joshua Gatson, Ph.D., is analyzing fluid-based biomarkers like creatine kinase B (brain) in amateur and professional boxers in order to better identify traumatic brain injuries (TBI) immediately after they happen.
“For studying secondary brain injury, we found that fighters are a great research model, since approximately 95 percent of these athletes experience some form of a concussion,” Dr. Gatson explains. “In comparison, only 10-20 percent of football players experience or report the concussion. The ability to get baseline data is critical and provides the opportunity to observe changes within each individual before and after competition.”
Dr. Gatson and his team believe that creating a rapid, fluid-based biomarker test will help sooner identify when athletes should seek medical help.