Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded $196,875 to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853) on June 1, 2026, with completion expected by May 31, 2028. This Project Grant supports an initial biomarker discovery and evaluation study focused on identifying blood-based biomarkers for genetic ataxias, a group of slowly progressing neurodegenerative diseases affecting approximately 15,000 individuals worldwide. The research employs advanced proteomic and transcriptomic approaches, including Olink proximity extension proteomics, next-generation RNA sequencing, and electrochemiluminescence immunoassays on plasma and neuronal extracellular vesicles isolated from patient blood samples.

The project will generate an initial set of validated candidate biomarkers for disease severity and progression in the most common dominant and recessive forms of genetically inherited ataxia, providing the scientific foundation for subsequent larger-scale validation studies through R01 or U01 applications. This work directly addresses a critical gap in ataxia therapeutic development, as current clinical assessment scales are insufficient for evaluating treatment effects within typical clinical trial timeframes. Additionally, the proteomic and transcriptomic analyses will yield pathway data that may elucidate underlying mechanisms in specific ataxia types, supporting future drug development efforts.