How myelin-making brain cells sense their surroundings
Official title: Environmental Biosensors in the Oligodendrocyte Lineage
Funded at Advanced Science Research Center · NIH-11322081 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Learning how the brain's myelin-producing cells respond to signals could help people with conditions like multiple sclerosis and age-related decline.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Advanced Science Research Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2019 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,158,744 |
| NIH project number | 5R35NS111604-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322081 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with conditions linked to myelin loss such as multiple sclerosis, age-related cognitive problems, or depression, and adults willing to consider brain-tissue donation for research, would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without disorders related to myelin biology and children are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic science research.
What this research studies
This work examines how oligodendrocyte-lineage cells (the cells that make myelin) detect chemical, mechanical, and environmental cues. The team uses biosensor tools, transgenic mouse models, and analyses of human post-mortem brain tissue to track changes in DNA and histones that control cell maturation. They test engineered compounds that can reverse harmful epigenetic changes and study links between gut metabolites, social experiences, and myelination. The goal is to understand the signals that promote healthy myelin so new therapy ideas can be developed.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could point to ways to restore or protect myelin, potentially improving outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis, age-related cognitive decline, or related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal and post-mortem human-brain studies have shown epigenetic changes tied to myelination and some compounds reversed these changes in animals, but effective human therapies are not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
Advanced Science Research Center
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Casaccia, Patrizia — Advanced Science Research Center
- Study coordinator: Casaccia, Patrizia
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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.