This Project Grant award from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) under the Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders (CFDA 93.853) provides $1,138,538.00 in funding to Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, a nonprofit health system located in Jacksonville, Florida, from December 15, 2024 to November 30, 2032.
The grant supports research aimed at understanding the diverse mechanisms governing frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), the underlying cause of frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Key focus areas include investigating the molecular underpinnings of TDP-43 protein localization and function, the role of cryptic splicing and proteins in FTLD, the involvement of the endo-lysosomal system in TDP-43 pathology and neurodegeneration, and the role of TMEM106B fibrillogenesis in TDP-43 proteinopathies and tauopathies. The research leverages a combination of mouse models, induced pluripotent stem cells, transcriptomics, proteomics, histology, and human tissue analyses to advance understanding of FTLD disease mechanisms and support the identification of much-needed biomarkers and therapies.