Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University received a $445,500 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 May 6, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2028. This exploratory research project investigates aberrant N6-methyladenosine (M6A) RNA methylation patterns in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, specifically examining how demyelination-induced alterations in M6A pathway components correlate with hippocampal pathology and memory dysfunction. The research builds upon preliminary findings indicating selective decreases in M6A demethylases alongside increases in M6A methyltransferases and binding proteins in MS hippocampal neurons, with identified M6A methylation in genes associated with synaptic structures.

The project will utilize both human and mouse tissue to examine M6A pathway component levels and cellular localization, characterizing how demyelination-related changes in M6A methylation patterns affect gene transcripts associated with synaptic plasticity and neuronal function in the MS hippocampus. This translational research addresses a critical gap in understanding the epigenetic mechanisms underlying cognitive disability in MS, the most prevalent neurological complaint in MS patients affecting over two million individuals worldwide. The research is conducted at the grantee's facility in Cleveland, Ohio.