Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Eye Institute (NEI), under the Vision Research program (CFDA 93.867), awarded a $125,954 Project Grant to The Regents of The University of California, Berkeley, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. This award supports fundamental research investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic specificity in the retinal direction-selective circuit, a neural pathway critical for motion detection and visual stabilization. The research employs the mouse retina as a model system to understand how neurons form precise synaptic connections with appropriate partners and how this developmental process may be impacted by neurodevelopmental disorders. Using synapse-specific proteomics and analysis of spontaneous retinal activity, the project will identify activity-dependent, post-transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms that direct the formation of functional directional motion circuits independent of transcriptional regulation.

The primary deliverables of this research initiative include empirical findings on synaptic specificity mechanisms in visual development, characterization of molecular signaling pathways governing synapse formation and refinement, and computational/experimental data advancing fundamental understanding of circuit assembly in the visual system. These research products contribute to the NEI's overarching mission to eliminate vision loss and improve quality of life through advances in understanding the eye and visual system. The performance location is UC Berkeley, a premier research institution with extensive expertise in neuroscience and established capacity to conduct sophisticated federal research projects across multiple NIH institutes.