Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Rochester received a $1.61M 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), awarded July 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for June 30, 2029. This award funds fundamental neuroscience research investigating spatiotemporal control of cerebral blood flow (CBF) through purinergic signaling networks. The research will produce scientific knowledge addressing how neurons, astrocytes, endothelial cells, and mural cells coordinate to direct blood flow to active brain regions—a process critical to meeting neural metabolic demands and potentially linked to cognitive dysfunction and dementia pathogenesis.

The research deliverables encompass three specific aims: identifying cellular sources of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and P2 purinergic receptors that initiate and sustain functional hyperemia in the brain; elucidating purinergic mechanisms providing negative feedback to appropriately terminate hyperemia; and establishing connections between impaired purinergic signaling and cognitive decline. The project will generate empirical data, mechanistic insights, and scientific publications advancing understanding of neurovascular coupling—the coordinated physiological response linking neural activity to regional blood flow changes—with potential applications to understanding and treating neurological disorders characterized by cerebrovascular dysfunction.