Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded Rutgers The State University of New Jersey a Project Grant of $677,059 on July 17, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). The research, directed from Newark, New Jersey, and scheduled for completion by May 31, 2031, investigates the role of tonic dopamine release in Parkinsonian motor deficits. The project will define the molecular basis and network consequences of dopamine release defects that impair motor control by leveraging a Parkinson's disease-relevant genetic model. Specifically, the research examines synaptojanin1 (SYNJ1) deficiency and its effects on dopamine transporter recycling, dopamine storage in synaptic vesicles, and striatal circuit function using transgenic mouse models to elucidate mechanisms of early-stage motor dysfunction independent of widespread neuronal degeneration.

The deliverables will include mechanistic findings on dopaminergic synaptic dysfunction, characterization of molecular feedback regulation pathways governing tonic dopamine release, and preclinical data on striatal circuit dysfunction resulting from SYNJ1 deficiency. These research outputs are expected to advance fundamental understanding of dopaminergic dysfunction in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis and potentially inform future therapeutic strategies targeting early symptomatic intervention before significant neurodegeneration occurs.