Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded The Leland Stanford Junior University a Project Grant of $522,632 effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). The award funds basic research investigating the role of pseudouridine synthase 7 (PUS7), an RNA-modifying enzyme, in neurodevelopment. The research employs two-dimensional and three-dimensional in vitro neuronal differentiation systems, primary tissues and cells, cutting-edge RNA modification detection sequencing tools, genome engineering, and high-throughput biochemistry to elucidate how PUS7 regulates alternative messenger RNA processing and influences neurodevelopmental outcomes.

The project deliverables include: (1) determination of PUS7 regulation mechanisms during neurodevelopment; (2) comprehensive identification of neurodevelopmentally regulated pseudouridine modifications; and (3) elucidation of PUS7's molecular and cellular functions during nervous system development. These outputs are intended to advance fundamental understanding of gene regulation pathways relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders, including conditions associated with PUS7 mutations such as microcephaly, intellectual disability, and speech delay. The research is conducted at Stanford's Palo Alto, California location and is expected to have translational implications for understanding and potentially treating neurological disease mechanisms.