Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Texas A&M University System Health Science Center received a $423,500 Project Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of the Director under the Trans-NIH Research Support program (CFDA 93.310), awarded June 12, 2026, with completion by May 31, 2028. The award supports research into 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) therapy as an adjunctive neuroprotective treatment for organophosphate pesticide and nerve agent (OPNA) intoxication. The primary deliverables include preclinical investigations using rat models to evaluate the protective efficacy of 2-DG and other selective glycolysis inhibitors against acute and long-term neuronal damage and neurological dysfunction induced by OPNA exposure, with particular focus on characterizing the synergistic potential of glycolysis inhibition combined with midazolam therapy.

The research addresses a critical gap in medical countermeasures by investigating dysregulated glucose metabolism as a therapeutic target, given that existing treatments (targeting glutamate, GABA, and oxidative stress pathways) have shown limited efficacy in mitigating long-term neurological effects. Study activities encompass evaluation of FDA-approved and clinical-stage glycolytic inhibitors, assessment of brain penetration and pharmacokinetic properties, and toxicity profiling to support advancement of 2-DG or related compounds as potential medical countermeasures for OPNA exposure.