Project Grant R01MH143325

Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded The Research Foundation for the State University of New York a Project Grant totaling $802,543 (awarded June 10, 2026) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to conduct a five-year research initiative examining the role of astrocytes in mediating adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with maternal immune activation (MIA). The research will generate scientific knowledge regarding how prenatal infections trigger maternal immune responses that alter brain function and contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Through integrated molecular, physiological, and neurobehavioral research approaches, the funded project will produce peer-reviewed publications and mechanistic insights into astrocyte reactivity, dopamine signaling alterations, and the cellular and behavioral abnormalities induced by MIA.

The project, conducted at the University at Buffalo campus in Buffalo, NY, will deliver three primary research objectives: identification of cellular and physiological changes characteristic of MIA-induced astrocyte reactivity; determination of circuit mechanisms underlying MIA-induced dopamine signaling enhancement; and identification of molecular mechanisms by which reactive astrocytes contribute to MIA-induced neurobiological and behavioral dysfunction. The research outputs will advance understanding of the pathophysiology underlying neurodevelopmental psychiatric conditions and inform development of therapeutic interventions targeting astrocyte-mediated mechanisms. The grant extends through March 31, 2031.