The Nano4Seizure project, developed through the collaboration of Turkish and Iranian scientists supported by TÜBİTAK and NIMAD, stands out in pediatric seizure treatment
Nano4Seizure project has been awarded a prestigious grant from TÜBİTAK and NIMAD to support the development of an innovative nanotechnology-based approach for treating pediatric seizures.
The project aims to increase the access of midazolam to the brain using lipid nanoparticles and develop new-generation drug delivery systems for treating pediatric seizures. The Turkish team is led by Prof. Dr. Nur Mustafaoğlu (Project Coordinator) from Sabancı University and Prof. Dr. Nihal Aydoğan from Hacettepe University. Prof. Nasrollah Tabatabaei coordinates the Iranian team from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS).
An Innovative Approach for Pediatric Seizures
Seizures are one of the most common neurological disorders in children, especially those caused by high fever. Current epilepsy treatments focus on managing symptoms rather than eliminating the disease. Although midazolam, commonly used in emergencies, is a powerful anti-seizure drug, it has difficulty crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This limits its efficacy and potential for rapid action.
The Nano4Seizure project aims to enhance the delivery of midazolam to the brain and improve its therapeutic efficacy using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).
The project will use the “epilepsy-on-a-chip” model previously developed by Dr. Mustafaoğlu in a TÜBİTAK 2535 project. This model allows precise monitoring of seizure activity in vitro while offering a more ethical and sustainable research approach by reducing reliance on animal models. In addition, effective treatment will be sought by using LNPs designed by Hacettepe University researchers under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Nihal Aydoğan.
The Nano4Seizure project aims to shed light on epilepsy treatments in the future with international scientific cooperation and to bring innovative solutions in this field to clinical practice.