Modeling axon degeneration in C. elegans to help ALS patients
Official title: Use of C. elegans as a model to study Wallerian degeneration
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11631658 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using a tiny worm model to uncover how axons break down, which could point to new ways to help people with ALS and related nerve diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $565,250 |
| NIH project number | 1R56NS148124-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11631658 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with ALS or other motor neuron diseases that involve axon degeneration, or future patients who may benefit from therapies targeting the identified pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are not driven by axon degeneration mechanisms studied here may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses the nematode C. elegans to study Wallerian degeneration, a process where axons deteriorate after injury or disease. By exploring regulators like oma-1 and tat-2 and how NMNAT-Sarm1 signaling affects localized protein production, the team aims to reveal new steps that cause axon degeneration. They will also examine how a neuropeptide-GPCR signaling pathway might protect axons, and how these pathways interact. The work builds on prior findings and uses genetic screens and molecular analyses to identify potential targets for therapies that could preserve nerve connections in ALS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new molecular targets to slow or prevent nerve axon loss in ALS and related disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Similar genetic and molecular approaches in model systems have revealed conserved pathways like NMNAT-Sarm1 that regulate axon degeneration, supporting potential applicability to humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yan, Dong — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Yan, Dong
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.