ENDURE-LA: AAV Neuroscience Training Program

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) awarded CAL Poly Pomona Foundation Inc. a Project Grant of $283,286 (awarded July 1, 2026, with completion by May 31, 2031) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders program (CFDA 93.853). This career development initiative establishes a partnership between California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to create a pipeline for first-generation college students from a resource-limited institution to pursue doctoral degrees in neuroscience. The program delivers foundational research training and professional development services, equipping underrepresented students with technical expertise in adeno-associated virus (AAV) applications, production, purification, and capsid characterization through hands-on laboratory experience at CPP's Armamentarium Vector Core.

Students progress through a two-year training pathway beginning with summer and academic-year coursework at CPP, followed by intensive research experiences at UCLA during the second summer where they apply their technical skills to cutting-edge neuroscience projects. The program subsequently supports continued research engagement as students return to CPP to advance UCLA-related projects in a collaborative role, ensuring sustained mentorship and research continuity. This structured pathway provides participants with direct exposure to an R1 research environment, professional mentoring, and validated experience in gene therapy research methodologies designed to prepare them for successful pursuit of advanced degrees and careers in neuroscience and biomedical research.