Research
Funding for Affiliates of SCAND are listed below:
Chris Cowan, Ph.D.
- Goals of this grant are to study MEF2C in IDD-related behaviors, regulation of cortical E/I synapse balance and to examine the role and regulation of the common MEF2/FMRP target, PCDH17.
- PI: Cowan, Christopher W.
-
Goals of this grant include analysis of MEF2-dependent cortical synaptic connectivity under conditions of sleep disruption.
- PI: Greene, Robert (UTSW)
- Subcontract PI: Cowan, Christopher W.
Jane Joseph, Ph.D.
Neural Substrates of Emotion: Impact of Childhood Trauma and Cocaine Dependence, National Institute of Drug Abuse (5R01DA037968-02) 2015-2020
- Social stress can lead to drug craving and relapse in cocaine-dependent (CD) individuals. In addition, CD individuals often favor drug use over social interactions. Moreover, social avoidance and lack of trust are significant obstacles to effective treatment.
- PI: McRae-Clark, Aimee L
- Co-Investigators: Joseph, Jane E
Walter Kaufmann, Ph.D.
APNEA Index as an Outcome Measure of IGF-1 Treatment in Rett Syndrome, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (7R03HD082561-02) 2014-2017
- A major challenge facing the development of therapeutic treatments of many neurological and psychiatric disorders is the general lack of robust biomarkers and outcome measures that are suitable for assessing treatment efficacy across the entire patient population and throughout the patient’s lifespan.
- PI: Kaufmann, Walter E
- Co-Investigators: Poon, Chi-Sang
David Mott, Ph.D.
Muscarinic Modulation of the Basolateral Amygdala, National Institute of Mental Health (5R01MH104638-02) 2015-2020
- Signaling through muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in the basolateral (BL) nucleus of the amygdala plays an essential role in the formation and extinction of emotional memory. Accordingly, in all mammals, including humans, the BL receives more robust cholinergic innervation than any other target of the basal forebrain.
- PI: Mott, David D
- Co-Investigators: McDonald, Alexander Joseph
Fabienne Poulai, Ph.D.
Functions of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Axon Guidance and Degeneration, (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (5R00NS083714-05) 2015-2017
- Precise organization of neuronal connections is crucial for processing information. A major challenge in neuroscience is to understand how these connections are properly established, and how errors in this wiring process can lead to psychiatric disorders like autism or schizophrenia.
- PI: Poulain, Fabienne E
Functions of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Axon Guidance and Degeneration, (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (5R00NS083714-02) 2015-2017
- Precise organization of neuronal connections is crucial for processing information. A major challenge in neuroscience is to understand how these connections are properly established, and how errors in this wiring process can lead to psychiatric disorders like autism or schizophrenia.
- PI: Poulain, Fabienne E
Functions of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans in Axon Guidance and Degeneration, (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (4R00NS083714-03) 2015-2017
- Precise organization of neuronal connections is crucial for processing information. A major challenge in neuroscience is to understand how these connections are properly established, and how errors in this wiring process can lead to psychiatric disorders like autism or schizophrenia.
- PI: Poulain, Fabienne E
John Richards, Ph.D.
The Development of Sustained Attention in Infants, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (4R37HD018942-30) 1988-2018
- The objectives are to study the development of sustained attention in young infants and to relate development in sustained attention to concurrent heart rate (HR) changes and brain activity (EEG, ERP).
- PI: Richards, John E
The Development of Sustained Attention in Infants, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (5R37HD018942-28) 1988-2017
- The objectives are to study the development of sustained attention in young infants and to relate development in sustained attention to concurrent heart rate (HR) changes and brain activity (EEG, ERP).
- PI: Richards, John E
Jane Roberts, Ph.D.
Emergence, Stability and Predictors of Anxiety in Fragile X Syndrome, National Institute of Mental Health (1R01MH107573-01A1) 2016-2021
- This NIH funded research is a longitudinal developmental study of the early features of anxiety in very young boys with FXS contrasted to boys diagnosed with ASD (non-FXS) and typical controls. The aim is to determine which initial features of anxiety can be detected and the stability and prognostic value of these early symptoms to diagnostic categorization across two populations associated with ID and at high risk for anxiety.
- PI: Jane Roberts
- Co-Investigators: Amanda Fairchild, Frederick Shic, & Kim Hills
Emergence and Stability of Autism in Fragile X Syndrome, National Institute of Mental Health (2R01MH090194-06) 2016-2021
Extension of initial infant study to longitudinally track the onset of autism through preschool in fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorder and typical controls.
- PI: Jane Roberts
- Co-Investigators: John Richards, Svetlana Shinkareva, Kim Hills, Bridgette Tonnsen
Deanna Smith, Ph.D.
Examining the Role of the Lissencephaly Protein, LIS1, in Dynein-Based Transport, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (4R01NS056314-10) 2006-2018
- Lissencephaly, an autosomal dominant brain malformation caused by mutations in the LIS1 gene, was the first neurological disorder linked directly to cytoplasmic dynein function. This discovery led the way for molecular dissection of events regulating development of the mammalian cerebral cortex.
- PI: Smith, Deanna S
Examining the Role of the Lissencephaly Protein, LIS1, in Dynein-Based Transport, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (5R01NS056314-08) 2006-2017
- Lissencephaly, an autosomal dominant brain malformation caused by mutations in the LIS1 gene, was the first neurological disorder linked directly to cytoplasmic dynein function. This discovery led the way for molecular dissection of events regulating development of the mammalian cerebral cortex.
- PI: Smith, Deanna S
Jeffery L. Twiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Modifying intrinsic growth capacity through axonal mRNA translation. National Institute of Health/NINDS (R01NS041596-10) 7/14-6/19
- The major goal of this grant is to determine functionality of axonal RNA localization elements in vivo and whether increasing axonal targeting of b-actin or GAP-43 mRNAs through altered 3’UTRs can be used to modulate axon growth. This grant includes collaboration with John Houle (Drexel Univ) as a subcontract.
- PI: JL Twiss
Antagonistic roles of HuD and KSRP for mRNA stability in neuronal growth. National Institute of Health. NINDS. (R01-NS089633-01) 9/15-5/20
- This multi-PI award focuses on competition between HuD and KSRP for binding ARE-containing mRNAs and modulating developmental axon growth in the cortical and hippocampal neurons.
- PI: JL Twiss and N Perrone-Bizzozero [Univ. NM]
Spinal cord injury, plasticity, and transplant mediated repair. National Institute of Health/NINDS (P01-NS055976-09) 4/13-3/18
- The overall goal of this PPG award is to explore mechanisms of neural repair for spinal cord injury mediated by training and cell transplantation. Twiss’s project in this PPG, Effects of the SCI microenvironment on intra-axonal signaling, focuses on effect of training and transplantation on intra-axonal signaling mechanisms that promote axonal growth.
- PI: J Houle
- Co-investigator: Jeffery Twiss, Principal Investigator for Project # 1
Targeting axon intrinsic mechanisms for supporting neural repair. Adelson Medical Research Foundation
- This award focuses on regulation of signaling that impacts localized mRNA translation during axonal regeneration after peripheral nerve injury.
- PI: JL Twiss, Collaboration leader