Federal Grant Award Summary

Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) received a $536,121 Project Grant award 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 May 15, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2031. The research project, titled "Metabolic Basis for Oligo-Vascular Interactions in White Matter Development and Injury," investigates the fundamental mechanisms underlying neonatal white matter injury (NWMI)—a significant cause of motor and cognitive abnormalities in premature and term infants experiencing hypoxic-ischemic conditions. The research addresses a critical gap in understanding how oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) obtain metabolic support from white matter vasculature during normal development and how this process is disrupted during hypoxic-ischemic brain injury.

The primary deliverables encompass scientific research aimed at elucidating the role of endothelial-apelin signaling in supporting white matter vascularization and myelination. Through genetic and pharmacological strategies, the project will dissect mechanisms of OPC-regulated endothelial signaling, characterize how this process regulates cerebrovascular tone and glucose uptake during normal development and injury, and determine the effects of brain-wide hypoglycemia on myelination and oligodendrocyte metabolic pathways. These research activities are expected to generate novel insights into the metabolic crosstalk between oligodendroglia and the cerebrovascular system, potentially informing future therapeutic interventions for neonatal white matter injury.