Project Grant R15NS142927

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke awarded Florida Atlantic University $448,664 on September 1, 2026, under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying motor exit point glia function.

The funded research characterizes a novel population of glia residing at transition zones between the central and peripheral nervous systems. Motor exit point glia originate in the spinal cord, migrate into the peripheral nervous system to myelinate motor axons, and regulate oligodendrocyte migration at the spinal cord's ventral border. The project pursues three specific aims: defining motor exit point glia gene expression profiles using single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets and in situ hybridization to validate markers and generate reporter and mutant lines; investigating peripheral nervous system myelination by motor exit point glia; and characterizing regulatory mechanisms that govern the migration and function of these hybrid central/peripheral glial cells. The work will generate hypothesis-driven projects for incoming students.

Performance occurs at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, over the period of September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2029.