Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) awarded a $702,556 Project Grant to the University of California, Davis on May 15, 2026, under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865). The research initiative, titled "Modeling Neurodevelopmental Risk of Imbalanced Micronutrient Supply in Cerebral Organoids," will be conducted through February 28, 2031. The project delivers investigator-initiated biomedical research services designed to advance understanding of how excessive folic acid (FA) exposure during pregnancy may adversely affect fetal brain development, particularly in the context of concurrent vitamin B12 (B12) deficiency.

The research deliverables include experimental studies utilizing engineered human cerebral organoids to test the developmental and biochemical consequences of excessive FA exposure and to bridge the gap between preclinical animal models and human neurodevelopment. The project will generate scientific findings regarding the mechanisms through which imbalanced micronutrient supply—specifically elevated FA intake coupled with declining B12 consumption—may predispose offspring to neurodevelopmental disorders. These research services address a critical knowledge gap regarding the unintended neurodevelopmental consequences of the 1998 FDA folic acid fortification mandate for grain products.