This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (CFDA 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants) provides $576,926 to support research conducted by Fordham University. The project aims to characterize cellular and molecular changes in the human anterior hippocampus across the menopausal transition, in order to understand the biological mechanisms underlying increased psychiatric risk for conditions like major depressive disorder and psychosis in women during this period. The researchers will use single-nucleus multiome analysis, micro-C genome structure analysis, and genetic risk association studies to examine how ovarian hormone shifts impact brain structure, gene expression, and chromatin organization in this brain region. This multifaceted study leverages a unique cohort of 42 postmortem human brains to elucidate the links between hormonal changes, genomic regulation, and mental health vulnerability. The award has a period of performance from December 2024 to November 2029.