Organic protection against exposure to pesticides and nerve gas has been developed through a partnership between chemists at Moscow State University and UNC-Chapel Hill.

The partnership was formed by Dr. Alexander “Sasha” Kabanov, whose groundbreaking research on enzymes started in Russia with the founding of a nanomedicine laboratory.

“In 2010, I got a grant from the Ministry of Science of Russia to establish a laboratory […] in Moscow State University, which is my alma mater and the place where I started my original research which ultimately led me to the United States,” he recalled.

That research was accelerated in North Carolina after Kabanov received an appointment as director of the UNC Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery.

“By that time, we in the United States had done a lot of work on the delivery of the enzymes and we developed our solution, which we called the nanozyme,” he explained.

By experimenting with delivery techniques and protein coatings, Kabanov was able to pioneer enzymatic applications for the treatment of organophosphate poisoning.

“That enabled a possibility to create a protective treatment in which the enzyme is […] administered in the body before exposure, and that resulted in complete protection of animals,” he affirmed.

Kabanov noted that the prevalence of organophosphates in pesticides and chemical weapons makes his research pertinent to both agricultural workers and soldiers.

“Approximately 40 percent of pesticides in the world are still organophosphorus compounds, and obviously these are also chemical warfare agents,” he claimed.

With those agents having been used in Syria earlier this month, Kabanov also emphasized the importance of providing nanoenzymes to civilians in conflict zones.

“This is potential protection of military personnel which might find themselves in the area of application of chemical warfare agents, or civil population in this situation which we unfortunately see the examples with increasing frequency,” he lamented.

A degree of morality was injected into the discussion of chemical research by Kabanov, who elaborated on his imperative to save lives and mitigate suffering.

“We are talking about man-made toxic compounds, essentially; I feel, as a chemist, responsibility to come up with a solution to evil which other chemists have invented,” he noted.

The work done by Kabanov and his team was published two months ago in the Journal of Controlled Release, with the abstract available at sciencedirect.com.

Image by Global Water Partnership.

Related Stories
‹
Russia Smuggling Ukrainian Grain To Help Pay For Putin’s War
Written by MICHAEL BIESECKER, SARAH EL DEEB and BEATRICE DUPUY When the bulk cargo ship Laodicea docked in Lebanon last summer, Ukrainian diplomats said the vessel was carrying grain stolen by Russia and urged Lebanese officials to impound the ship. Moscow called the allegation “false and baseless,” and Lebanon’s prosecutor general sided with the Kremlin […]
Crimea Is a Focus of Discussions to End Russia’s War in Ukraine. Here’s Why It’s So Coveted
Russia’s illegal seizure of Crimea from Ukraine 11 years ago was quick and bloodless. But Kyiv — and most of the world — never recognized Moscow’s annexation of the strategic peninsula.
Russian Strike on Kyiv Kills 9 in Biggest Attack on Ukrainian Capital Since Last Summer
Russia attacked Kyiv with an hourslong barrage of missiles and drones, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 70
Germany Sees Ukraine Truce Efforts as Deadlocked, While China Says the Talks Are Encouraging
Germany’s chief diplomat on Tuesday described efforts to secure a truce in the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine as deadlocked.
North Carolina Judge Challenging Outcome of Race Wore Confederate Uniform in College Photo
North Carolina judge and state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin posed in Confederate military garb while attending UNC in the 2000s.
Trump's Mass Deportation Efforts Threatening Local Hispanic Community
When her native Venezuela was no longer safe, Heelen Pena fled to the United States. As a member of an opposition political party, she and her family faced constant hostility, including threats to her life. So, she was granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and received asylum in America, settling in Durham along with […]
Trump Pauses US Military Aid to Ukraine While Pressuring Zelenskyy To Move Toward Quick End to War
President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to U.S. assistance to Ukraine as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to engage in negotiations to end the war with Russia.
Trump’s Attempts To Denigrate Zelenskyy Have Led to a Surge in Ukrainian Unity
Ukraine’s new threat comes from its once staunchest ally, the United States, whose support appears to be fading with President Donald Trump.
On Air Today: Carolina Connection's Melodi Carty Talks Snow, Free Basketball For Students
UNC Student and Carolina Connection Reporter Melodi Carty spoke on the phone with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Thursday, February 20. She described the atmosphere on Wednesday night, as campus was covered in a fresh blanket of snow. Adding to the celebratory mood, word spread in the early evening that students living on campus could get into the UNC Men's Basketball game against NC State for free. She talked about people's response, the valued of having a shared positive experience for the campus community, and more.
Local Lawyer Suing UNC For Conference Realignment Public Records Violations
David McKenzie, a Triangle-based lawyer specializing in intellectual property and constitutional law, is suing UNC-Chapel Hill over alleged public records violations with regards to materials concerning potential conference realignment moves. Specifically, McKenzie is challenging the university over documents relating to what has become known as the “Carolina Blue Matter,” the secret name used by the […]
›