Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Boston University Medical Campus received a $647,496 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 June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2031. This five-year award supports fundamental neuroscience research investigating the role of neural precursors in fetal cortical development, specifically examining how spatiotemporal modulation of neural precursor cells in the ventricular and subventricular zones contributes to the formation of convoluted cortical structures in species with complex brains.

The research deliverables include scientific investigations comparing neural precursor development and genetic regulation across multiple model organisms—including mice, ferrets, non-human primates, and human tissue—to elucidate mechanisms underlying cortical gyrification that differ between lissencephalic and gyrencephalic species. This basic research effort addresses critical gaps in understanding fetal brain development and has far-reaching implications for prenatal and neurodevelopmental disorders, as well as age-related neurological conditions. The project will be performed at Boston University Medical Campus's Roxbury, Massachusetts facility.