Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Van Andel Research Institute a Project Grant of $555,128 on March 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) program. The research will be conducted through January 31, 2031, at the institute's facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan. This project investigates the mechanisms underlying C9ORF72-associated frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), specifically examining how GGGGCC repeat expansion in the C9ORF72 gene contributes to disease through both gain-of-toxicity and loss-of-function pathways.

The funded research will deliver scientific outcomes through the development and utilization of mouse models—including an established FTD model and a newly created C9ALS model—to define the individual and interactive contributions of repeat toxicity and C9ORF72 functional loss to cognitive and motor phenotypes. Preliminary data suggest that microglial overactivation mediated by C9ORF72 reduction may accelerate disease development, and the research will generate novel insights into potential therapeutic interventions targeting microglial activation and C9ORF72 function in these incurable neurodegenerative diseases.