Better brain drug imaging to show how medicines bind
Improved drug efficacy assessment using joint Bayesian estimation framework
This project develops improved PET imaging methods to map where and how much CNS drugs bind in the brain, helping people with neurological or psychiatric conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307083 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a brain condition and are taking a medication, this project aims to improve PET scans so you can see where and how much the drug binds in your brain. Researchers will collect paired PET scans before and after a drug dose and apply a new joint Bayesian statistical method to produce clearer spatial maps of receptor occupancy and the concentration that gives half the maximum effect (EC50). The method models image noise better and estimates maps across the brain instead of giving a single summary number, which should make results more precise. That could help doctors and researchers choose doses and understand who is most likely to benefit.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with CNS conditions who are eligible for PET imaging and willing to join receptor-occupancy studies of new brain medicines.
Not a fit: People who are not eligible for PET scans, have conditions unrelated to the targeted brain receptors, or do not participate in such imaging studies are unlikely to receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help clinicians and researchers pick more effective doses and confirm that a brain drug is reaching its intended target.
How similar studies have performed: PET receptor-occupancy scans are an established tool in drug development, but applying joint Bayesian spatial estimation to produce RO and EC50 maps is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marin, Thibault — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Marin, Thibault
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.