Cellular mechanisms shaping fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Official title: Cellular Mechanisms in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11377661 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant studies how alcohol exposure before birth damages development at the cellular level, with potential to improve understanding and care for individuals affected by FASD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | December 15, 2018 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $625,123 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA026068-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11377661 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable for this grant as described; this is a basic science project using models, not a patient enrollment study.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient participation is not described in this grant, as it focuses on cellular and mechanistic studies in models.
What this research studies
This project looks at how prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts cell processes, especially non-apoptotic pathways like primary cilia and the Sonic hedgehog signal, to better understand FASD. Researchers will use a mix of cellular and animal models to reveal how ethanol interferes with development at the cellular level. The goal is to uncover actionable mechanisms that could inform future interventions or therapies for affected individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to better prevention strategies and targeted therapies for people with FASD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work supports that ethanol affects development via apoptosis and ciliopathy-related mechanisms, indicating a plausible path toward deeper understanding.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parnell, Scott — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Parnell, Scott
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Web tools to screen children for effects of prenatal alcohol exposure
This project uses online tools to check children ages 6–17 for physical, thinking, and behavior signs linked to prenatal alcohol exposure.
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Choline Genetics and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Children
This study looks at how genetic differences in choline metabolism affect cognitive and behavioral outcomes in children with prenatal alcohol exposure who may benefit from choline supplementation.
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Data coordination for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders research
A national collaboration coordinates data and sharing to help understand and improve care for children affected by prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD.
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Improved FASD screening for kids using BRAIN-online in Spanish
A web-based, Spanish-enabled screening tool helps identify signs of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in children to guide further evaluation and support.
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How prenatal alcohol exposure harms hearing development
Researchers are looking at how alcohol exposure during pregnancy changes the brain cells that help process sound in mice, to better understand hearing problems in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
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Prenatal Alcohol Gene-by-Exposure study: how maternal and child genetics influence FASD
A big study will look at genes in mothers and their children to understand why some babies exposed to alcohol before birth develop FASD and others don’t.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.