Precise platform to guide addiction therapies targeting brain signals
Official title: A Highly Precise Platform Technology for Controlling Diverse Clinical Targets in Addiction
Funded at Vanderbilt University · NIH-11400342 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new platform aims to precisely control brain signaling to better treat cocaine addiction and related CNS disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $475,500 |
| NIH project number | 5DP1DA063097-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400342 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with cocaine dependence or related CNS disorders who could benefit from novel targeted therapies in future trials.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals with conditions not driven by cocaine-related neural signaling or those who do not respond to targeted brain signaling approaches.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how neural signals and their receptors shape addiction, using advanced neuroscience tools to map brain circuits and manipulate specific neuron activity. It seeks to understand not just which circuits are involved, but how distinct receptor pathways and their downstream signals contribute to addictive behavior. By linking neural activity to molecular signaling, the work could reveal new targets for safer, more effective therapies for addiction. The effort is designed to accelerate drug design with a paradigm shift in how we approach treatment for CNS disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to targeted therapies that more precisely modulate brain signaling to reduce craving and relapse in addiction.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that dissecting neural circuits and receptor signaling can reveal new therapeutic targets, but the integrated platform approach is innovative and promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Donthamsetti, Prashant Chandra — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Donthamsetti, Prashant Chandra
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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.