Developing a new tool to screen treatments for poisoning from organophosphorus agents
Official title: Novel behavioral screening tool for therapeutics against organophosphorus agents
Funded at Swarthmore College · NIH-10915403 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new way to quickly find helpful treatments for people who have been poisoned by certain chemicals, like pesticides, so that we can reduce serious health problems and save lives after such exposures.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Swarthmore College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Swarthmore, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $168,741 |
| NIH project number | 5R21NS132528-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10915403 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include individuals who have been exposed to organophosphorus agents, such as those involved in accidents or terrorist acts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not been exposed to organophosphorus agents or who are not at risk of such exposure may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to create a novel behavioral screening tool to identify effective therapeutics for individuals exposed to organophosphorus agents, which can cause severe poisoning. The study focuses on developing a high-throughput screening platform that can quickly and cost-effectively evaluate potential treatments. By improving the speed and efficiency of testing, the research seeks to find new therapies that can be administered after exposure to reduce mortality and alleviate long-term health effects. This approach is particularly important for responding to mass casualty events caused by nerve agents or pesticides.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of new, affordable treatments that significantly improve survival rates and reduce long-term health complications for patients exposed to organophosphorus agents.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of high-throughput screening is established in other areas of drug development, this specific application for organophosphorus agent therapeutics is relatively novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Swarthmore College
Swarthmore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Collins, Eva-Maria Schoetz — Swarthmore College
- Study coordinator: Collins, Eva-Maria Schoetz
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.