How brain glia prune neuron fragments in a worm model
Official title: Molecular mechanisms by which glia engulf neuron-endings
Funded at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center · NIH-11631075 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers study how brain support cells called glia remove pieces of living neurons in a tiny worm to learn about brain aging and diseases like Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 16, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $609,484 |
| NIH project number | 1R56NS150712-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11631075 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly; findings may eventually inform human brain health and disease.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement or intervention is described in this grant.
What this research studies
This project uses C. elegans to uncover the molecules that control glia’s pruning of neuron fragments. By watching glial engulfment in real time, scientists will map which proteins work together to drive this process, how neurons are selected, and how much is removed. The goal is to connect these cellular events to aging, learning, and memory, and to understand how misregulation might relate to neurodegenerative diseases. The work focuses on single-cell detail in a living organism, enabling rapid discovery that could inform human brain health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of glial-pruning mechanisms could reveal new targets to protect neurons in aging and Alzheimer’s disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in C. elegans has shown conserved glial pruning machinery and links to behavior, supporting this approach as promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Singhvi, Aakanksha — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Singhvi, Aakanksha
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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.