Federal Grant Award Summary

Oregon Health & Science University received a $264,435 Project Grant from the National Eye Institute (NEI) under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867), effective May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2031. This award funds research to define the pathophysiology of microcephaly and chorioretinopathy (MCCRP), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal vascular development in the retina and brain. The research will investigate the role of the gamma-tubulin ring complex (γ-TURC), specifically examining how defects in TUBGCP4 and TUBGCP6 gene products—critical components of γ-TURC—lead to vision loss and developmental abnormalities.

The research will employ novel conditional knockout mouse models and tamoxifen-inducible endothelial cell-specific gene deletion techniques to elucidate the vascular developmental defects underlying MCCRP. By utilizing postnatal elimination of TUBGCP4 and TUBGCP6 expression in vascular endothelial cells and conducting ophthalmic and neurological assessments, the research will generate empirical findings that advance understanding of how γ-TURC dysfunction impairs retinal and cerebral vascular development. These findings are expected to contribute to the NEI's mission of eliminating vision loss and improving quality of life through innovative vision research and may inform therapeutic approaches to vascular developmental disorders affecting vision and neurological function.