# Animal Modeling, Photonics, and Antidote Efficacy Core

> **NIH NIH U54** · BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL · 2021 · $828,275

## Abstract

Animal Modeling, Photonics, and Efficacy Evaluation Core (AEC)
Abstract
 The Animal Modeling, Photonics and Efficacy Evaluation Core consists of two
core photonics based diagnostic technologies and 2 non-rodent species of established
CN poisoning: highly monitored mid-size animal (rabbit) (UC Irvine) and large animal
(pig) models (University of Colorado Denver). The core provides the capabilities for
advanced in-vivo animal candidate antidote diagnostics, efficacy testing, and capabilities
for real time quantitative determination of chemical induced injury development, extent,
and response to therapy. The Core supports advanced mammalian testing of the
promising antidote candidates identified in projects 1, 2, and 3. This integrated core has
the capability to rapidly advance testing of such candidate agents in pre-clinical
evaluation, as well as to provide feedback iteration to the earlier phase projects and to
the Pharmaceutical Sciences Core for drug design enhancement, and to provide
samples to the Metabolic Phenotyping and Pharmacokinetics Core (MPPC) to promote
our mechanistic understanding of the consequences of CN poisoning.
The Core photonics based technologies include diffuse optical spectroscopy and
continuous wave near infrared spectroscopy for assessment of effects of the metabolic
poison cyanide, and monitoring of tissue oxygenation and cytochrome C oxidase redox
states in the rabbit and swine models, and real-time micro-sensors for continuous tissue
lactate monitoring in animals with metabolic poison exposures. The core will also
provide a state-of-the-art rabbit testing facility and established lethal and sub-lethal
models for cyanide antidote development supporting all projects. Advanced technology
capabilities will be extended to the U. of Colorado as part of the Core deliverables, and
will function there in the large animal (pig) model in addition to their ongoing availability
in the rabbit testing facility and animal operating rooms at UC Irvine Beckman Laser
Institute. As shown in our prior chemical defense research, these core technologies
enable more accurate, precise, and noninvasive determination of injury and treatment
effectiveness, dramatically accelerating antidote development and reducing animal
numbers required for definitive results and successful translation of antidote compounds
to therapeutic use.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10241498
- **Project number:** 5U54NS112107-03
- **Recipient organization:** BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Calum A. MacRae
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $828,275
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10241498

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10241498, Animal Modeling, Photonics, and Antidote Efficacy Core (5U54NS112107-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10241498. Licensed CC0.

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