Noninvasive programmable drugs that target specific brain cell types
DART.3-Revolutionizing Neuropsychiatric Treatment through Noninvasive, Programmable Cell-Type-Specific Neuropharmacology
This project develops a way to deliver common psychiatric drugs to specific brain cell types without surgery, aiming to make treatments more precise for people with neuropsychiatric conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11141065 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are improving a technology called DART that tethers drugs so they act only on chosen brain cell types. The team will test noninvasive whole-body delivery methods, expand targeting to receptors important in psychiatry (like 5-HT2A and nicotinic receptors), and add options for rapid, programmable reversibility. The work is carried out in behaving animals to link cellular effects to changes in behavior and to refine measures of target engagement. These preclinical steps are meant to build a path toward treatments with fewer side effects and clearer mechanisms.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is preclinical work and does not currently enroll patients, but its future translation would most directly apply to adults with neuropsychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or those with health issues unrelated to brain receptor-based psychiatry are unlikely to benefit from this lab-based research right now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let psychiatric medications act only on the specific brain cells that help symptoms, reducing side effects and improving effectiveness.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier versions of the DART technology showed very high cell-type specificity and useful tools in animal models, but human testing has not yet been done.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tadross, Michael R — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Tadross, Michael R
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.