Project Grant R15NS145029

Federal Grant Award Summary

Georgetown University received a $585,000 Project Grant 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), awarded on May 20, 2026, with a completion date of April 30, 2029. The grant funds basic research investigating the functional properties of F-box E3 ligases, specifically the FBXO16 protein, in the context of neurogenesis and neuronal development. Using Xenopus laevis embryos as an in vivo model system, the research examines how FBXO16 regulates protein degradation and influences neural tissue differentiation through manipulation of the NEUROG2 proneural factor.

The deliverables encompass two primary research approaches: first, determining whether FBXO16 alters neuron development at the level of NEUROG2 through temporal and spatial manipulation of FBXO16 expression in neural tissue, assessment of target gene expression, and analysis of changes in cell proliferation or apoptosis; and second, elucidating the mechanistic pathways by which FBXO16 regulates neurogenesis, including identification of protein targets and determination of whether FBXO16 functions as part of the SCF-FBXO16 ubiquitin-proteasome complex or through alternative regulatory mechanisms. These research activities support NINDS's mission to reduce the burden of neurological disease through fundamental understanding of brain and nervous system structure and function.