Carbon quantum dots to protect brain cells from pesticide-related damage
Official title: Development and testing of Carbon Quantum Dot architectures to arrest neurotoxicant-insult- related outcomes
Funded at University of Texas El Paso · NIH-11376305 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Tiny carbon particles are being developed to help protect brain cells from pesticide-related damage that can lead to Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or Huntington’s disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas El Paso NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (El Paso, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $29,790 |
| NIH project number | 3R16GM145575-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376305 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project is preclinical and does not currently enroll patients, but future human candidates would likely include people with early Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, or Huntington’s disease or those with a history of significant pesticide exposure.
✕Less likely to help
People with advanced neurodegenerative disease or conditions unrelated to environmental toxicant exposure are less likely to benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Researchers will make small carbon quantum dots from biowaste materials and chemically modify them to act as antioxidants and protective agents for neurons. They will test these particles in lab-grown nerve cells and in animal models exposed to pesticides to see whether the particles reduce oxidative stress, prevent harmful protein clumping, and preserve cell health. The team will measure molecular markers of proteasome dysfunction, protein aggregation, and mitochondrial damage, and look for improvements in movement or memory in exposed animals. The work is preclinical and aims to show whether this approach could be carried forward toward human testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new preventive or protective treatments that reduce neurodegeneration linked to environmental toxicants.
How similar studies have gone: Related nanoparticle and carbon quantum dot approaches have shown neuroprotective and antioxidant effects in cell and animal studies, but human clinical success has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
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University of Texas El Paso
El Paso, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Narayan, Mahesh — University of Texas El Paso
- Study coordinator: Narayan, Mahesh
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.