Understanding how nerve agents damage the brain and how to stop it
Official title: Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration in a Nerve Agent Model
Funded at Iowa State University · NIH-11336815 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how exposure to nerve agents damages the brain and whether specific brain pathways drive long-term injury, with the goal of finding future treatments to help survivors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Iowa State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ames, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $459,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS133584-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336815 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals or populations at risk of exposure to nerve agents or patients with acquired brain injury related to seizures or neuroinflammation.
✕Less likely to help
People without exposure risk or those whose condition is unrelated to nerve-agent–induced brain injury may not benefit.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one could be affected by a nerve agent exposure, this project looks at how seizures after exposure lead to lasting brain changes. Researchers are focusing on brain areas involved in memory and fear, and on molecules that spike during injury. They will test ideas in models to see how blocking certain kinases might reduce inflammation and degeneration. The goal is to identify targets that could lead to therapies for people who survive acute exposure and its long-term effects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: The research could point to new strategies that prevent or lessen long-term brain damage in nerve agent survivors.
How similar studies have gone: There is growing evidence that seizures and neuroinflammation contribute to long-term brain injury, with some prior work suggesting kinase pathways as potential targets.
Where this research is happening
-
Iowa State University
Ames, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thippeswamy, Thimmasettappa — Iowa State University
- Study coordinator: Thippeswamy, Thimmasettappa
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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.