Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Iowa State University of Science and Technology received a $393,447 Project Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director under the Trans-NIH Research Support program (CFDA 93.310), with an award date of July 1, 2026, and completion date of June 30, 2028. The grant supports research investigating the disease-modifying effects of Nuclear Factor Erythroid-2-Related Factor 2 (NRF2) activators in nerve agent exposure models. Specifically, the research evaluates novel non-electrophilic small molecule NRF2 activators (RTA408 and IND22) as potential therapeutic agents to prevent long-term neurotoxicity and epilepsy development following organophosphate nerve agent exposure in a rat diisopropylfluorophosphate surrogate model.

The research addresses a critical gap in medical countermeasures for organophosphate nerve agent survivors, as current treatments such as atropine, oximes, and benzodiazepines control acute cholinergic symptoms but do not prevent persistent brain injury and post-exposure neurological complications. The project combines neuroprotective strategies with existing medical countermeasures and tests whether promoting endogenous glutathione synthesis through NRF2 activation can mitigate nitrooxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration. Research activities are to be conducted at Iowa State University's facilities in Ames, Iowa.