Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded a Project Grant totaling $711,952 to Boston Children's Hospital (The Children's Hospital Corporation) on May 2, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) federal grant program. The award supports a five-year research initiative extending through April 30, 2031, investigating the local circadian regulation of synaptic function and sleep/wake behavior. The research, conducted in Boston, MA, will examine how the circadian transcription factor BMAL1 (Brain and Muscle ARNT-Like 1) regulates synaptic processes and sleep-wake cycles through phosphorylation-dependent mechanisms, with particular emphasis on the interaction between BMAL1, the synaptic kinase CaMKII (Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II), synaptic vesicle dynamics, and serotonin-mediated neuromodulation.

The collaborative research project will dissect the structure-function relationships between BMAL1 and CaMKII to determine how circadian timing mechanisms modulate synaptic computation and behavioral plasticity across the 24-hour light/dark cycle. Research outcomes are expected to advance understanding of how circadian rhythm disruption and sleep loss contribute to neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, with potential implications for developing targeted interventions addressing sleep disorders and neurodegenerative conditions in pediatric and general populations.