Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston received a $399,725 Project Grant award 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 18, 2026, with completion targeted for May 31, 2027. The award funds the development of a multi-modal mouse model of cluster headache designed to recapitulate the key clinical features and pathophysiological systems involved in this severe neurological condition. This research combines three complementary approaches: trigeminovascular pathway modulation through nitroglycerin administration, genetic modification via MERTK (MER proto-oncogene, tyrosine receptor kinase) knockout, and direct optogenetic activation of the posterior hypothalamus to create an animal model that captures the circadian pain patterns, autonomic features, and neurobiological mechanisms characteristic of human cluster headache.

The deliverables under this grant include the development and validation of an integrated animal model that addresses a critical gap in cluster headache research—the absence of disease-specific treatments due to lack of viable preclinical models. By establishing a mouse model that faithfully reproduces the clockwork-like attack patterns observed in approximately 70.5 percent of patients, the circadian dysregulation identified through MERTK gene expression analysis, and the hypothalamic activation documented during acute attacks, this research will provide investigators with a sophisticated platform for testing novel therapeutic interventions and advancing understanding of cluster headache pathophysiology beyond current repurposed medications.