Peptoid barcodes to track gene-delivery nanoparticles in living systems
Official title: Development of peptoid-based barcodes for in vivo high-throughput screening of targeted nucleic acid delivery
Funded at University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr · NIH-11333856 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, easy-to-use barcode tool uses deuterated peptoids to label gene-carrying nanoparticles so scientists can quickly see where they go in living bodies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fort Worth, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $185,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21EB036261-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333856 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly; the work is a preclinical research tool to improve future gene-delivery therapies.
✕Less likely to help
This project does not involve patient participation or direct patient care.
What this research studies
This project develops a set of barcodes called DOPANT that attach to nanoparticles carrying genetic cargo. The barcodes are designed to be stable in the body, easy to extract, and affordable to detect, enabling large-scale screening of different nanoparticle formulations in animals. Researchers will create a small library of 3-mer peptoids with varying weights and deuteration and test how well they mark where the nanoparticles distribute. The goal is to make high-throughput, in vivo testing of non-viral gene delivery more accessible and informative for future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could speed up the development of safer and more effective gene-delivery systems by showing biodistribution patterns more efficiently.
How similar studies have gone: Barcoding methods have been explored before, but this project aims to improve stability, extraction, and cost for in vivo high-throughput screening.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
Fort Worth, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Jayoung — University of North Texas Hlth Sci Ctr
- Study coordinator: Kim, Jayoung
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.