How unstable polyunsaturated fats break down and damage cells
Official title: Pathways of peroxidation: defining the autoxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the cellular consequences
Funded at Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge · NIH-11143692 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tracks how certain cell fats break down into toxic molecules that can harm mitochondria and contribute to chronic inflammation-related diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $369,174 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM154857-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11143692 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People affected by chronic inflammatory conditions—such as certain cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, or chronic inflammatory disorders—could eventually benefit from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking an immediate treatment or direct clinical care are unlikely to benefit now because this is laboratory-based discovery research rather than a therapeutic trial.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are following how polyunsaturated fats inside cells undergo nonenzymatic breakdown and form reactive molecules that stick to and damage proteins. They map which fats produce which toxic products and trace how those products form inside mitochondria. The team uses controlled lab models and biochemical mapping to link specific lipid breakdown pathways to harmful protein changes. Findings aim to point to clearer molecular targets for therapies that prevent or neutralize these toxic products.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets for drugs or antioxidant strategies to prevent toxic protein modifications that contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous antioxidant and lipid-scavenging approaches have shown mixed clinical results, and the detailed mapping of mitochondrial lipid electrophile formation is a relatively new lab-based direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beavers, William Norris — Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
- Study coordinator: Beavers, William Norris
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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.