Tiny brain sensor to detect neuropeptide Y (NPY) signals
Official title: Development of a novel NPY-sensitive microelectrode to detect endogenous NPY release
Funded at University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras · NIH-11248769 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds a very small, aptamer-coated sensor to continuously read neuropeptide Y (NPY) released by brain cells so researchers can link NPY signals to neurological problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Juan, United States) |
| Project start | December 17, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $557,597 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH138583-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11248769 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant is laboratory-based and does not enroll patients now, but future human-related work would likely involve people with neurological disorders linked to NPY signaling.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to NPY signaling are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical sensor development.
What this research studies
If you or someone you know has a brain condition, this project aims to make a very small (under 25 µm) platinum electrode coated with aptamers that can detect NPY released by single brain cells and in brain slices. The sensor uses intermittent pulse amperometry to take up to 500 measurements per second and separates specific NPY signals from background electrical currents to improve sensitivity and selectivity. Researchers will test the device on brain tissue and single cells to capture real-time, sub-second NPY release that has been difficult to measure until now. The goal is to provide a laboratory tool that helps scientists connect changes in NPY signaling with neurological disorders and inform future patient-focused studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this sensor could help scientists understand how NPY contributes to neurological disorders and eventually guide new diagnostics or treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Related electrochemical biosensors have successfully measured other neurochemicals and the team reports preliminary data showing sub-second NPY detection, but real-time single-cell NPY sensing is a novel advance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras
San Juan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cunci, Lisandro — University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras
- Study coordinator: Cunci, Lisandro
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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.