Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of California, Davis received a $489,732 Project Grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853), effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031. This award funds fundamental neuroscience research investigating the regulation of extrasynaptic AMPA receptors (AMPARs) by transmembrane auxiliary proteins, specifically examining how AMPAR reserve pools are established and maintained in hippocampal neurons. The research seeks to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity—the activity-dependent variation in synaptic AMPAR content that underlies learning and memory formation—with particular focus on the role of synapse differentiation induced gene 4 (SD4) protein in GluA1-containing AMPAR trafficking and long-term potentiation.

The project addresses a significant knowledge gap in neuroscience by investigating mechanisms that control extrasynaptic AMPAR reserve pools, which are recruited during long-term potentiation to rapidly strengthen synapses. Prior findings indicating that SD4 knockout reduces extrasynaptic GluA1-AMPAR reserve pools and impairs tetanus-induced long-term potentiation provide the empirical foundation for this research. The award supports the UC Davis research team in conducting mechanistic investigations using molecular and cellular neurobiology approaches to understand how transmembrane auxiliary proteins regulate AMPAR localization and trafficking, with the ultimate goal of advancing fundamental knowledge of synaptic plasticity relevant to learning, memory, and potential therapeutic interventions for neurological disorders.