Federal Grant Award Summary

Temple University received a $237,750 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 April 8, 2026, with a completion date of March 31, 2028. The grant supports the development and application of a novel genetic method to selectively lesion axons or prune axonal terminals in the corticospinal tract (CST), a major motor pathway in the brain and spinal cord. The research involves engineering a modified human CD59 (complement-inhibitory protein) fused with THY1.1 GPI-linkage that efficiently transports into axons and terminals, enabling selective axonal ablation in the presence of intermedilysin, a toxin-producing mechanism with minimal collateral damage to surrounding neurons or tracts.

The primary deliverable is the development and validation of this genetic tool to dissect the specific motor control responsibilities of CST collaterals in extrapyramidal motor pathways. This research addresses a critical gap in understanding how corticospinal terminals influence motor control through the brainstem and whether alternative motor pathways (rubrospinal, reticulospinal, and propriospinal) require CST input for functional recovery. By enabling selective ablation of defined neural circuits without extensive collateral damage, this method will enhance researchers' capacity to map neural circuit function and inform therapeutic strategies for motor recovery following spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions.