Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) awarded Columbia University a $167,400 Project Grant on April 10, 2026, under the Research and Training in Complementary and Integrative Health program (CFDA 93.213) to support a five-year research career development initiative extending through March 31, 2031. The project, titled "Molecular and Functional Characterization of Cortical Circuits Regulating the Adrenal Medulla During Stress," will deliver rigorous neuroscientific research and training designed to advance the career of a physician-scientist investigating the neural mechanisms underlying mind-body connections and stress responses.

The research will produce new knowledge about previously undocumented neural circuits connecting motor cortex regions to the adrenal gland, with specific deliverables including: (1) comprehensive mapping of cortical-to-adrenal connections using monosynaptic rabies tracing techniques; and (2) functional characterization of how these cortical neurons modulate epinephrine release and physiological responses to stress. These findings have direct therapeutic relevance to complementary and integrative health approaches, as understanding these circuits may support development of non-invasive brain modulation interventions such as transcranial direct current stimulation for treating stress-related psychiatric conditions including post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive depression. Research will be conducted at Columbia University's facilities in New York, New York.