Using focused ultrasound and nanoemulsions to enhance drug delivery to the brain
Official title: Next generation transcranial ultrasound-based neuromodulation using phase shift nanoemulsions
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11218703 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring a new way to help deliver medicine directly to the brain using sound waves and tiny liquid particles, which could make treatments for brain conditions work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 23, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $78,621 |
| NIH project number | 3R01MH132022-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11218703 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would include individuals with neurological conditions that require targeted drug delivery to the brain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not involve the brain or do not require drug delivery through the blood-brain barrier may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop a new method for delivering drugs to the brain using focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with phase shift nanoemulsions (PSNEs). The approach involves creating tiny liquid particles that can carry medication and become microbubbles when exposed to ultrasound, allowing for targeted drug release in specific areas of the brain. By enhancing the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, this technique could improve the effectiveness of treatments for various neurological conditions. The research will first be tested in non-human primates before moving to human applications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for neurological disorders by improving drug delivery to the brain.
How similar studies have gone: While focused ultrasound has been explored in other contexts, the combination with phase shift nanoemulsions represents a novel approach that has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Caskey, Charles F — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Caskey, Charles F
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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.