Early-life algal toxin effects on the developing brain
Official title: Project 3: Cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying effects from early life exposure to HAB toxins
Funded at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution · NIH-11360101 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how low-level exposure to algal bloom toxins during childhood and young adulthood may change brain cells and behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Woods Hole, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2018 |
| Project end | February 28, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $165,193 |
| NIH project number | 5P01ES028938-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360101 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People most likely to be interested include parents of young children, pregnant people, coastal residents, and anyone who frequently eats seafood and worries about algal toxin exposure.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are unrelated to algal toxin exposure or neurodevelopment are unlikely to see direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
From your perspective, scientists are using tiny live zebrafish and lab-grown human 'mini-brains' made from stem cells to see what domoic acid, saxitoxin, and anatoxin-a do to developing brain cells. They will track changes in different types of neurons and support cells, study which genes switch on or off, and watch for lasting behavior changes in the fish. The team combines real animal behavior tests with detailed molecular analysis of human-derived cells to link cell-level damage to possible learning or memory effects. Results could help explain risks from low-level exposures that current seafood rules may not fully protect against.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to stronger safety guidelines and better protections for pregnant people, children, and other groups exposed to algal toxins through seafood or coastal waters.
How similar studies have gone: High-dose algal toxin exposures are known to cause brain harm from past animal and human cases, but applying human 3D stem-cell models to low-level developmental exposure is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Woods Hole, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aluru, Neelakanteswar — Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
- Study coordinator: Aluru, Neelakanteswar
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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.