Federal Project Grant Award Summary

New York University School of Medicine received a $247,300 Project Grant award dated July 14, 2026, 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). The award supports research investigating quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of axonal morphology to assess myelin injury and repair in white matter disorders such as multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, leukodystrophies, and neurodegeneration. The project will integrate multi-shell, multi-diffusion time MRI with large-scale three-dimensional electron microscopy and quantitative immunofluorescence imaging in the cuprizone model to establish mechanistic validation of diffusion and T2-based microstructure biomarkers.

The research deliverables include a comprehensive three-dimensional ultrastructural characterization of white matter injury and assessment of the sensitivity, specificity, and biological correspondence of microstructure MRI to myelin loss, axonal expansion, axonal swelling and beading, and glial remodeling. Additionally, the project will determine whether identified biomarkers can detect treatment-induced remyelination using clemastine and whether MRI-derived measures reflect repair mechanisms identified through electron microscopy and immunofluorescence analysis. The award is scheduled for completion on June 30, 2028.