Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded $627,103 to the Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene, Inc. (operating as the New York State Psychiatric Institute) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) for a five-year project period (June 1, 2026–May 31, 2031). This Project Grant supports fundamental research investigating the role of the adaptive immune system in Parkinson's disease (PD) pathogenesis, specifically examining how alpha-synuclein-specific T cells infiltrate the central nervous system (CNS) and contribute to neuronal degeneration. The research deliverables include characterization of T cell entry routes into the CNS following adoptive transfer, determination of border-associated macrophages' role in antigen re-stimulation and T cell CNS entry, and analysis of neurodegeneration mechanisms resulting from T cell–macrophage interactions using novel adoptive transfer models employing genetically-labeled Th17 and Th1 lymphocytes.

This basic research effort aligns with NINDS's mission to advance fundamental knowledge of the brain and nervous system while reducing the burden of neurological disease. The project combines mechanistic investigation of neural immune interactions with translational relevance to PD pathophysiology, utilizing sophisticated experimental methodologies to elucidate immunological drivers of dopaminergic neurodegeneration. Findings from this research are expected to contribute to the scientific understanding of autoimmune mechanisms in PD and potentially inform future therapeutic interventions targeting pathological T cell infiltration in the CNS.