Pesticide exposure, brain inflammation, and Parkinson-like damage in aging
Official title: Mechanisms of pesticide-induced neuroinflammation and parkinsonism in aging mice
Funded at University of New England · NIH-11328992 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research tests whether pesticide exposure triggers brain inflammation that leads to Parkinson-like nerve cell damage in aging people and those with past pesticide contact.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New England NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Biddeford, United States) |
| Project start | February 9, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $360,560 |
| NIH project number | 5R01ES024745-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11328992 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Parkinson’s disease, older adults, and individuals with a history of regular pesticide exposure (for example agricultural workers) would be the most relevant candidates for related human sampling or follow-up studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson’s and no history of pesticide exposure are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific project.
What this research studies
Researchers expose aging mice to pesticides linked to Parkinson’s disease to see if a specific inflammation switch (the NLRP3 inflammasome) turns on in brain cells. They compare normal mice with mice that lack this inflammasome to see if removing it prevents nerve cell loss. The team measures brain and blood markers and compares those findings to samples from people with Parkinson’s disease. The work aims to connect environmental exposures and genetic inflammation pathways to the kinds of brain changes seen in Parkinson’s.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new anti-inflammatory targets (like NLRP3) or blood markers that help prevent or slow Parkinson’s linked to toxic exposures.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and patient-sample work from this team and others links NLRP3 to Parkinsonian damage and shows NLRP3 loss can protect mice, and NLRP3-targeting approaches are now being explored clinically.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New England
Biddeford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Havrda, Matthew Charles — University of New England
- Study coordinator: Havrda, Matthew Charles
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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.