The federal Project Grant award R01MH135934, totaling $1,405,618.00, was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants (CFDA 93.242) program. The award, effective July 1, 2024 through April 30, 2027, supports the development of innovative genetic tools for precisely manipulating defined synaptic connections between specific neuronal populations. Led by researchers at The Leland Stanford Junior University, the project aims to address a critical gap in existing neuroscience research tools. The award will fund the engineering and validation of three tool platforms that enable drug-controlled synapse manipulation through different mechanisms and timescales. These tools leverage advanced protein engineering and directed evolution techniques to create intersectional genetic tools with trans-synaptic gating, enabling targeted control of synaptic connectivity. The tools will be rigorously tested in mouse brain regions to assess their specificity, sensitivity, and efficacy in silencing defined circuit connections. This research holds promise for advancing the understanding of circuit-level mechanisms underlying mental health conditions, such as opioid withdrawal and cocaine addiction, as well as hippocampal function.
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