Why brain-to-spine nerve cells lose their ability to regrow during development
Official title: Molecular regulation over the decline in long-distance corticospinal axon regenerative ability during development
Funded at Winifred Masterson Burke Med Res Inst · NIH-11235125 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at why the brain-to-spine nerve cells that control movement lose their ability to regrow as we develop, with the goal of helping people with ALS, spinal cord injury, or stroke.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Winifred Masterson Burke Med Res Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (White Plains, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $617,978 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS131420-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11235125 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is a lab-based, developmental neuroscience project that does not enroll patients now, though future clinical trials informed by these findings might target people with ALS, spinal cord injury, or stroke.
✕Less likely to help
People should not expect direct personal benefit from this basic research, since it focuses on early-stage mechanisms in experimental models rather than current treatments.
What this research studies
Researchers will use a new microsurgical method to cut specific corticospinal axons during development without disrupting the surrounding spinal environment, so they can pinpoint when regrowth ability is lost. They will examine molecular signals inside the neurons and in nearby support cells at different developmental stages to see which changes shut down long-distance regrowth. The team will trace axon extension from the cortex to the spinal cord in experimental models and compare responses after early-life versus later lesions. The aim is to identify molecular targets that could guide future therapies to restore long-distance nerve repair.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal drug or gene targets that help restore long-distance spinal connections and improve recovery after ALS, spinal cord injury, or stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Prior neonatal lesion models showed greater early-life regenerative ability but disrupted the spinal environment, and this microsurgical approach is a novel way to study when and why regrowth is lost.
Where this research is happening
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Winifred Masterson Burke Med Res Inst
White Plains, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sahni, Vibhu Vinodchandra — Winifred Masterson Burke Med Res Inst
- Study coordinator: Sahni, Vibhu Vinodchandra
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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.