Project Grant R01DE035827

The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research awarded The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center $686,858 on August 1, 2026, under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121) to improve care and understanding of facial synkinesis.

The research compares long-term clinical outcomes and patient-reported benefits of two treatment approaches—chemodenervation with botulinum toxin versus selective neurectomies combined with chemodenervation—and identifies variables that predict treatment response. The work also characterizes cellular subpopulations and signaling pathways contributing to facial synkinesis using human facial nerve tissue from affected patients, with focus on fibroblast-mediated fibrosis and its impact on axonal regeneration. The study employs single-nucleus RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptomics to define fibroblast, Schwann cell, and immune cell subtypes and correlates molecular signatures with clinical data.

Facial synkinesis, the most common sequela of facial nerve injury, affects more than 50,000 individuals annually in the United States. The condition remains incurable and presents as involuntary facial muscle contractions during voluntary movement, producing functional limitations including impaired vision, speech, and eating alongside significant psychosocial burden. Current treatment options lack long-term comparative data and well-defined predictors of success.

Work is performed in Dallas, Texas, with performance through April 30, 2031. The assistance type is Project Grant.