Understanding NMDA brain receptors and how to target them
Official title: Structures and reagents of NMDA receptors
Funded at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory · NIH-11345920 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are mapping the shapes and drug-binding sites of NMDA brain receptors to guide new treatments for conditions like Alzheimer's, depression, and epilepsy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cold Spring Harbor, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2010 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $840,682 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH085926-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345920 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions tied to NMDA receptor problems (such as certain forms of depression, schizophrenia, or epilepsy) could be future candidates for therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are unrelated to NMDA receptor dysfunction or driven by non-neuronal processes are unlikely to benefit from NMDA-targeted advances.
What this research studies
This project uses high-resolution lab techniques (like X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy) to reveal the 3-D shapes of different NMDA receptor subtypes and the places where drugs can bind. Scientists study separate receptor parts and intact receptors to see how small molecules or proteins interact with them. The goal is to produce subtype-specific reagents that could guide safer, more precise medicines for disorders linked to NMDA dysfunction. The team has already solved structures of several receptor pieces and will expand those maps to inform future drug design.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable drug designs that precisely target malfunctioning NMDA receptor types, potentially improving symptoms or slowing disease progression in Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Structural biology has previously guided successful drug development and earlier NMDA subunit structures have informed research, although truly subtype-specific NMDA therapies remain an active and evolving area.
Where this research is happening
-
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cold Spring Harbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Furukawa, Hiroyasu — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
- Study coordinator: Furukawa, Hiroyasu
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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.