Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded The Regents of the University of California, San Francisco a Project Grant of $646,936 (obligated June 1, 2026) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). This five-year research initiative, concluding May 31, 2031, investigates the inflammatory mechanisms underlying spinal cord dysfunction in polytraumatic spinal cord injury (SCI)—cases where SCI is accompanied by peripheral injuries such as fractures, lacerations, or skin abrasions. The research will employ multiple animal models of peripheral injury combined with contusive SCI, followed by targeted anti-inflammatory interventions, to elucidate how peripheral tissue damage exacerbates neuroinflammation and impairs recovery of locomotor and sensory function.

The project will deliver scientific knowledge through three primary research objectives: determining the precise immunomodulatory mechanisms by which peripheral injury alters spinal cord function after SCI; assessing the contribution of peripheral circulating immune cells to central nervous system dysfunction; and evaluating whether general anti-inflammatory or targeted peripheral immune cell blockade can reduce neuroinflammation and improve behavioral recovery. Deliverables will include mechanistic data on neuroinflammatory pathways, comparative efficacy data for central versus systemic anti-inflammatory interventions, and evidence to support development of targeted therapeutic strategies for polytraumatic SCI patients.