Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Emory University received a $780,866 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), effective July 2, 2026, through April 30, 2031. The award supports the Brain Organoid Hub at Emory University to investigate the underlying biological mechanisms contributing to variability in three-dimensional neural differentiation derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). The research addresses critical challenges in organoid reproducibility by developing predictive metrics of hiPSC biology—both molecular and morphological—that can forecast successful cortical organoid differentiation and subsequent maturation outcomes.

The project delivers three key research products through targeted investigations: first, molecular profiling of hiPSCs prior to three-dimensional formation to identify cell state heterogeneity and gene programs that correlate with successful organoid differentiation; second, machine learning-based analytical approaches to determine whether morphological features of hiPSC growth dynamics predict organoid success; and third, molecular readouts of young organoids to predict successful functional maturation at later culture stages. These research deliverables aim to establish standardized predictive frameworks that will enhance the utility and scalability of brain organoid platforms for studying human neural development and disease mechanisms reproducibly.