VEGF-mimetic nanoparticles to help spinocerebellar ataxia type 1
Official title: VEGF-Mimetic Supramolecular Nanoparticles for Treating Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 1
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11565549 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new, patient-friendly approach is being developed to deliver a VEGF-like therapy using tiny particles that could protect brain cells in spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $424,976 |
| NIH project number | 4R33NS127141-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11565549 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 or who harbor the SCA1 mutation may be eligible for future trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without SCA1 or those not eligible for neurovascular-targeted therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a first-in-class nanotherapy that mimics VEGF to support brain blood vessels and neurons in people with SCA1. The research builds on findings that VEGF is reduced in SCA1 and that restoring it may ease disease progression. The team plans to engineer a VEGF-mimetic particle that can be synthesized reliably and tested in disease models to improve neurovascular health. If successful, this approach could become a new therapeutic avenue for SCA1 patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with SCA1 could gain new treatment options that help protect brain cells and slow disease progression.
How similar studies have gone: Similar strategies using VEGF-like therapies have shown promise in preclinical models of neurodegeneration, though this exact nanoparticle approach is new.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Opal, Puneet — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Opal, Puneet
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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.