Molecular clues to keeping motor skills steady
Official title: Molecular mechanisms of motor skill stabilization
Funded at University of California Santa Cruz · NIH-11355619 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how motor skills become consistently reliable from development and stay steady for life, using birdsong as a model to understand the biology behind stable movement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $469,050 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS138781-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11355619 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are researchers and clinicians studying motor control, neurobiology, and genomics, with interest in translating findings to human motor learning and disorders.
✕Less likely to help
This basic science project using animal models may not directly benefit patients in the short term.
What this research studies
This project uses the Bengalese finch as a model to uncover the molecular changes that shift motor circuits from variable to stable performance. By examining genome-wide and single-cell molecular data, scientists hope to pinpoint factors that lock in consistent movement patterns. The work combines modern sequencing with neuroscience to connect molecular signals to stable motor behavior. If successful, it could reveal targets to help people improve or maintain motor control in aging or disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how motor skills become and stay stable could guide new approaches to treat or prevent movement disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in birdsong and motor learning has successfully linked neural circuits to stable motor output, suggesting this approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Colquitt, Bradley Mark — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Colquitt, Bradley Mark
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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.