Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Columbia University's Health Sciences Division a $660,613 Project Grant effective June 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). The award supports research investigating spinal cord stimulation (SCS) as a combination therapeutic approach to enhance motor function in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The research will develop, validate, and establish safety protocols using SMA mouse models treated with disease-modifying therapy (risdiplam-like agents), with specific focus on whether SCS improves motor control, behavioral outcomes, and fatigue responses in treated animals. This work addresses a clinically significant gap by targeting SMA patients who remain functionally impaired despite receiving currently FDA-approved treatments.

The project, scheduled for completion by March 31, 2031, leverages preliminary findings indicating that electrical stimulation of dysfunctioning sensory synapses can restore motor neuron firing capacity and improve muscle contraction. Research deliverables will include preclinical demonstration of SCS efficacy and safety in disease models, providing a foundation for potential translation to human clinical applications. The research contributes to NINDS's mission of reducing the burden of neurological disease through mechanistic investigation of neural circuits and development of novel therapeutic modalities for rare neuromuscular disorders.