New treatments to stop seizures from organophosphate (pesticide/nerve agent) poisoning using zebrafish
Official title: High-Throughput in Vivo Discovery of Novel Countermeasures Against Organophosphate-Induced Seizure and Status Epilepticus Using Zebrafish
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11405055 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using tiny zebrafish to search for medicines that could stop seizures after exposure to organophosphate pesticides or nerve agents for people who suffer that kind of poisoning.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | December 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $200,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21NS127345-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11405055 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have experienced acute organophosphate poisoning with seizures or status epilepticus would be the eventual candidates for follow-up clinical testing of any drugs found.
✕Less likely to help
People with chronic epilepsy from other causes or patients not exposed to organophosphates are unlikely to benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
This project exposes zebrafish to organophosphate chemicals that cause seizures to mimic how nerve agents and some pesticides affect the brain. Scientists run high-throughput screens of many compounds to find ones that stop seizures or prevent seizure-related brain damage in the fish. Promising hits are checked for safety and how they work, and the best candidates would move on to later animal or human testing. The goal is to speed discovery of emergency medicines that could be used in accidental or mass-exposure events.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new emergency drugs that stop seizures and limit brain injury after organophosphate poisoning.
How similar studies have gone: Zebrafish seizure models have previously helped identify anticonvulsant compounds, but applying high-throughput zebrafish screening specifically for organophosphate-induced status epilepticus is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcgraw, Christopher — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Mcgraw, Christopher
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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.