This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) provides $226,877 to Vanderbilt University to develop the first engineered human neurovascular unit (NVU) model capable of demonstrating neurovascular coupling (NVC).
The objective is to create a microphysiological system that can simulate the glutamate-NMDA-nNOS-NO pathway involved in NVC, where neural activity triggers vasodilation to redirect blood flow. Key components include: 1) smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells to model vasomotor responses, 2) induced pluripotent stem cell-derived interneurons to transduce glutamate signaling into nitric oxide release, and 3) optogenetically-stimulated glutamatergic neurons. Successful integration of these elements will yield an in vitro human NVU model that can be used to study NVC in health and disease states, with the goal of identifying therapeutic targets to restore impaired cognition.
Generated 4/1/25, 5:18 AM