How platinum chemotherapy makes motor nerves fire on their own
Mechanisms underlying spontaneous firing by motoneurons with acute neurotoxicity
This project looks at how common platinum chemotherapy drugs cause motor nerves to start firing spontaneously, which can lead to pain, cramping, and balance problems for people treated with these drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11256781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team gives cancer-bearing animals doses of platinum-based chemotherapy scaled to human use and records motor nerve activity in living animals to see why nerves begin firing without warning. They combine in vivo electrophysiology with tissue analysis to pinpoint cellular and circuit changes that drive spontaneous activity. By focusing on early nerve hyperactivity during treatment, the work aims to link acute signs to the long-lasting neuropathy many patients experience. The findings are intended to reveal biological targets that could be tested later in human trials to prevent or reduce chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have received or will receive platinum-based chemotherapy and who experience or are at risk for chemotherapy-induced nerve pain, tingling, muscle cramps, or balance problems would be the eventual candidates for therapies that arise from this project.
Not a fit: Patients whose neuropathy stems from non-platinum causes (for example diabetic neuropathy, inherited neuropathies, or neurotoxicity from other drug classes) are unlikely to benefit directly from findings specific to platinum-based drug effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify targets or strategies to prevent or reduce chemotherapy-induced nerve pain, cramping, weakness, and long-term neuropathy from platinum drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and clinical observations have linked spontaneous neuronal firing to chemotherapy symptoms, but translating those mechanistic findings into effective patient treatments remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cope, Timothy C — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Cope, Timothy C
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.