Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston received a $134,684 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), effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2031. The grant funds the Young Brains Summer Research Program, a 10-week hands-on laboratory research training initiative designed to provide structured training in translational neuroscience to 15 undergraduate students annually, with NINDS funding supporting 8 students and institutional funds supporting an additional 7 students. The program prioritizes students lacking strong translational research opportunities at their home institutions and requires no prior laboratory experience.

The program leverages research mentors across multiple departments including neurology, neurosurgery, neurobiology and anatomy, anesthesiology, and psychiatry and behavioral sciences, with the Brains Research Laboratory serving as the central hub for coordinated instruction at UTHealth. The primary deliverable is expanding laboratory research opportunities for undergraduates to increase exposure to translational neuroscience and build the research pipeline by preparing participants for continued training and careers in the field, thereby addressing the critical workforce development need in translational neuroscience research.