Tuesday, November 18, 2025 11/18/2025

Development of anti-inflammatory nanodrug for endometriosis treatment

Award Number: R01HD108895
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/30/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2027

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Development of anti-inflammatory nanodrug for endometriosis treatment - Project Summary Endometriosis affects 10-15% of women of reproductive age, and the incidence increases to 50-60% in women with chronic pelvic pain and infertility. The current treatments include surgical removal of lesions or hormonal suppression; however, these may have many side effects and high risks of relapse. Precision-targeted therapy with a non-hormonal drug can successfully eradicate endometriosis lesions and alleviate pain symptoms while reducing its off-target toxicity. pSTAT3 signaling plays a crucial role in immunosuppression and inflammation in endometriosis. A potential therapeutic approach then is to downregulate the endometriosis-specific inflammation using antioxidant drugs. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (nanoceria) are potent STAT3 inhibitors due to their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. The small-sized nanoceria can accumulate in endometriotic lesions by extravasation through permeable, angiogenic endometrial vasculature. Our preliminary results demonstrated pSTAT3 overexpression leads to estrogen-dependent inflammation in endometriosis, and our ROS scavenging nanoceria remarkably reduces the number of endometriotic lesions in a mouse model. The nanodrug (nanoceria), coated with albumin protein and conjugated with NIR fluorescent dye (indocyanine green), shows successful systemic endometrial tissue targeting under photoacoustic image guidance. We hypothesize the novel nanodrug (albumin-nanoceria-ICG) will significantly suppress endometriotic lesion growth and result in reduced pain and infertility. Multimodal imaging simultaneously offers real-time monitoring of endometriosis progression and pregnancy and fetal development in living animals. Aim 1 will investigate how pSTAT3 in endometriosis contributes to inflammatory and immunosuppressive conditions using our endometriosis mouse model and in vivo imaging. Aim 2 will evaluate the theranostic potential of nanoceria on endometriosis progression and pain alleviation. Aim 3 examines whether the nanodrug will improve fertility, endometrial receptivity, and implantation. The proposed studies will support uncovering the molecular mechanism of inflammation in endometriosis and lead to non-surgical and non-hormonal treatment.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $628,601 )
2025	2025	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	4	7/2/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$628,601
														Subtotal = $628,601

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $622,314 )
2024	2024	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	3	7/18/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$622,314
														Subtotal = $622,314

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $628,601 )
2023	2023	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	2	7/4/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$628,601
														Subtotal = $628,601

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $612,857 )
2022	2022	MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY	426 AUDITORIUM RD RM 2	EAST LANSING	MI	48824	INGHAM	USA	Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research	000	1	9/23/2022	NEW	$612,857
														Subtotal = $612,857

Grand Total All Awards = $2,492,373

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Development of anti-inflammatory nanodrug for endometriosis treatment

Award Number: R01HD108895

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/30/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2027

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