Studying how diverse signals come from similar molecules at glutamatergic synapses
Official title: Generating functional diversity from molecular homogeneity at glutamatergic synapses
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11617112 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project at a university explores how synapses in the brain create different signals from a shared set of molecules, using a fruit-fly model to understand how this could relate to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $73,040 |
| NIH project number | 3R01NS126654-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11617112 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with or at risk for Alzheimer’s disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, or autism spectrum disorders may indirectly benefit from advances in understanding brain connectivity.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without these conditions may not directly benefit from this basic science study.
What this research studies
This research uses the fruit-fly neuromuscular junction to study how different synapses achieve diverse function from common molecular tools. By selectively silencing strong vs. weak synaptic inputs with a targeted toxin, the team hopes to reveal how synaptic diversity is generated. The findings could shed light on mechanisms underlying conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and autism, and may point toward new therapeutic angles. The work combines genetics, electrophysiology, and imaging to map how specific gene combinations influence synaptic behavior. If successful, the project could help translate basic brain science into strategies for diagnosing or treating related human disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how brain connections diversify could lead to new ideas for diagnosing, monitoring, or treating neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that synaptic diversity can arise from a limited set of molecular components, but the exact mechanisms remain to be clarified; this study aims to build on that foundation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dickman, Dion Kai — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Dickman, Dion Kai
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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.