Plant-derived nanoparticles as a sepsis therapy (a potential new treatment approach)
Official title: Plant-derived nanoparticles as a sepsis therapy
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11453246 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new nanoparticle-based therapy derived from plants aims to calm the body's inflammatory response in sepsis, potentially improving survival for patients with severe infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | June 26, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $233,250 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI187784-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11453246 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with sepsis or those at high risk for sepsis-related ARDS who would be eligible for future translational studies or trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose sepsis does not involve dysregulated inflammation or those unable to tolerate nanoparticle therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a bio-inspired lipid nanoparticle therapy to reduce harmful inflammation in sepsis, a condition that can lead to organ failure and death. Researchers are developing scalable, plant-derived nanoparticles that mimic a previous formulation shown to lower inflammatory markers in animal studies. The work focuses on creating reproducible, large-scale particles that can safely modulate the immune response while still helping the body fight infection. If successful, this approach could pave the way for a new treatment strategy for sepsis and related conditions like ARDS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with sepsis could experience reduced inflammation and better survival chances.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies showed reduced inflammatory markers and improved survival with plant-derived lipid nanoparticles, but human data are not yet available.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pearson, Ryan Matthew — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Pearson, Ryan Matthew
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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.