Exploring how snake toxins interact with human receptors related to Alzheimer's disease
Official title: Identifying the Interactions between Animal Toxins and Human nAChRs: The Role of Snake PLA2 in Interacting with nAChR alpha Subunits
Funded at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · NIH-10818654 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain snake toxins interact with important receptors in our bodies that help with brain functions, which could lead to new insights for understanding conditions like Alzheimer's disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Rio Grande Valley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Edinburg, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $41,779 |
| NIH project number | 3R15NS128563-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10818654 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other forms of dementia not related to nAChR dysfunction may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the interactions between animal toxins, specifically from snakes, and human nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), which are crucial for various physiological processes. The study aims to identify specific snake toxins that can bind to different nAChR subunits, potentially revealing new insights into their structure and function. By utilizing high-throughput methods, researchers will generate a library of snake toxins and analyze their effects on human nAChRs, which may help in understanding disorders like Alzheimer's disease. This approach leverages the natural specificity of snake toxins to advance our knowledge of receptor interactions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapeutic strategies for treating Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: While the use of animal toxins to study human receptors is a novel approach, similar methodologies have shown promise in other areas of receptor research.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Edinburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jia, Ying — University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
- Study coordinator: Jia, Ying
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.