Funded Projects

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Use of gut-brain electrophysiology to study interoception in eating disorders

In this study, we aim to (i) perform a feasibility study to determine the acceptance and feasibility of performing such recordings in the AN and ARFID eating disorders population and (ii) test the hypothesis that the electrophysiologic monitoring of the brain and stomach is associated with a clinically validated behavioral measure of interoception involving water distention of the stomach.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Small molecule ion channel modulator to treat acute episodes of peripheral vertigo

This team is developing a small molecule that targets a voltage-gated ion channel within the inner ear for the symptomatic relief of peripheral vertigo attacks. They will use their Neuroscience:Translate award to further develop this molecule to restore normal function and improve activities of daily living for patients experiencing peripheral vertigo.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Multifunctional vascular-like electronics for integration and monitoring of human neural organoids

This study will introduce a vascular-like electronic system that merges seamlessly with neural organoids,
establishing an integrated vascular-electronic-neural network. This envisaged platform holds the promise of heralding a transformative phase in the evolution of human neural organoid research and elucidating the
fundamental understanding on the roles of oxygen and nutrient perfusion during neural development.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Neuronal innervation dynamics in uterine function and maternal age-associated miscarriage

This proposal addresses three interconnected, yet independent aims focused on the neural mechanisms implicated in age-associated miscarriages. First, the proposal aims to construct a comprehensive neuro-uterine atlas delineating neuronal subtypes innervating the uterus, elucidating how innervation patterns and transcriptome profiles evolve with age. Second, the proposal aims to implement cutting-edge tissue clearing techniques on extracted uteri to discern alterations in uterine innervation patterns and signaling across the rodent estrous cycle and the first trimester of pregnancy.

Funded research
Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience
High-resolution profiling of Alzheimer’s brain resilience

Resilience to Alzheimer’s disease (RAD) describes those rare individuals who exhibit normal cognitive function
while harboring a high disease burden. Better understanding of the mechanisms that confer protection against
cognitive decline despite high-level AD pathology offers potential therapeutic insights for preventing dementia in AD. Recent advances in the field provide a unique opportunity to explore the spatial distribution of molecules in the human brain at an unprecedented level of detail.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Creating a pharmacologic stroke recovery therapy

This team has identified a promising protein-based therapeutic to improve stroke recovery.  The team will use the Neuroscience:Translate award to identify key components of this protein to maximize its therapeutic potential for stroke treatments.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Clinical translation of a new PET radiotracer for mapping innate immune activation in multiple sclerosis and other neurodegenerative diseases

This team recently identified a selective biomarker of inflammation-promoting immune cells in the central nervous system. They will use their Neuroscience:Translate award to develop non-invasive molecular imaging strategies to distinguish between harmful (pro-inflammatory) and helpful (anti-inflammatory) immune cells in patients with Multiple sclerosis (MS).

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Assessing the feasibility of an autologous cell/gel therapy for spinal cord injury

This team has developed a new therapy for patients with spinal cord injury, involving injection into the spinal cord of patient-derived stem cells within an engineered protective gel. They will use their Neuroscience:Translate award to further test and develop this novel therapy in preparation for first-in-human clinical trials. 

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Targeting mitochondria in glioblastoma

This team recently discovered that a small molecule they had originally developed to treat Parkinson’s disease can also reduce the volume of glioblastoma tumors – the most common form of aggressive brain tumor — by targeting the mitochondrial protein Miro1. They will use their Neuroscience:Translate award to study the mechanisms of the compound’s anti-tumor action and prepare to apply for investigational-new-drug status to move this discovery toward the clinic.

Funded research
Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience
TREM1 in peripheral myeloid cells exacerbates cognitive decline in aging and Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and there is a tremendous need for improved therapeutic strategies to treat this prevalent neurodegenerative disease. A devastating symptom of AD is progressive memory loss; this particular disease feature has proven difficult to treat. However, research has begun to unravel novel drivers of AD, including the important role the body’s immune system plays in promoting memory loss. 

Funded research
Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience
Evaluating the immunomodulatory role of circular RNAs in microglia

Neuroinflammation is common in several neurodegenerative diseases, with brain immune cells, specifically
microglia, being a main driver of the inflammatory process. Understanding what triggers microglial activation and its pathways will lead to a better knowledge of inflammatory mechanisms involved in neurodegenerative disease pathology. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been studied extensively in the peripheral immune system due to their ability to induce innate immune responses. 

Funded research
Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience
Neural mechanisms of episodic memory resilience in longitudinal aging brains

Maintaining the health and function of the aging brain is crucial to improving the quality of older people’s lives and reducing societal burden. Aging is often accompanied by a decline in memory for life events (episodic memory), especially in those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Yet some at-risk individual’s manage to maintain memory function, which raises important questions about the brain mechanisms that underly memory resilience.

Funded research
Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience
Sleep and neuronal energy management in neurodegeneration

Sleep is critical for brain function in many animals, and chronic disruptions in sleep patterns are strongly linked to the emergence of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. When animals sleep, neural
activity and brain metabolism change dramatically; however, we do not know what the molecular functions of
sleep are in the brain, nor do we know how these processes are linked to brain health. 

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
How do early life experiences shape the neural underpinnings of caregiver olfactory recognition?

The ability of an infant to distinguish caregivers from strangers is fundamental for survival early in life. Across
many taxa, newborns use olfactory cues to recognize caregivers. Caregiver odors induce proximity-seeking
behavior and alleviate stress in neonatal mammals, including humans. Since all altricial animals rely on parental
care for survival and children with developmental disorders (e.g., fragile X syndrome and autism) often have
deficits in the olfactory system, it is essential to understand the mechanisms for linking caregiver odors with
affiliative behavior.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Interrogating the effects of serotonin and dopamine on neural activity in the nucleus accumbens during aggression

Studying the brain circuits involved in aggression will help us tackle big social issues like hate crimes, antisocial
behavior, and violence. Imagine if we could better understand why some people act aggressively towards
others—we could use this knowledge to protect people from harm and create a world where everyone feels safe. Chemicals in our brain, such as dopamine and serotonin, affect neural activity to modulate behavior. When we experience something rewarding, like having good food or meeting friends, dopamine is released in the brain.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Interpretable machine learning to decipher gene regulation in brain development and disruption in disease

Brain development is a complex process where cells must self-renew and differentiate at the right place and right time. Gene regulation during development involves sequences in the genome which affect the expression of genes locally, and transcription factors, proteins that bind these sequences and activate genes throughout the genome. At active regulatory sequences and genes, DNA is accessible to these proteins, while inactive DNA is tightly compacted.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Massively parallel microwire arrays for deep brain stimulation
We will engineer next generation bundled microwires deep brain stimulation using microwires that are thinner than human hair. We will use a small LED display to deliver patterned stimulation by ‘playing a video’ on the display chip, where each pixel is connected to a microwire.
Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
A principled investigation into the heterogeneous coding properties of medial entorhinal cortex that support accurate spatial navigation

Navigation through an environment to a remembered location is a critical skill we use every day. How does our brain accomplish such a task? Over the last few decades, several lines of evidence have suggested that a brain region called medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) supports navigation by encoding information our location and movement within an environment.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Understanding why neurons die in disease

Many neurological diseases feature the death of neurons, but the mechanisms that mediate cell death in these disorders are unknown. Astrogliosis, the response of a cell-type called “astrocytes” to injury, is common to most diseases of the central nervous system (CNS), and recent studies in our lab suggest that some reactive astrocytes may release a protein that is potently toxic to neurons.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
High-speed force probes for deconstructing the biophysics of mechanotransduction

The purpose of this collaborative project is to study neuronal mechanisms associated with social stress. In particular we will test whether the energy producing systems, known as mitochondria, in a specific set of brain cells are important to confer resilience to stressful stimuli. This research may lead to treatments of stress and anxiety disorders. 

 

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
NeuroChoice Initiative (Phase 2)

We propose to connect diverse faculty to deepen interdisciplinary understanding of the neural mechanisms supporting addictive choice by combining conceptual, experimental, and clinical approaches that bridge historically disparate fields of inquiry.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Stanford NeuroTechnology Initiative (Phase 2)

Our goal is to develop the next generation of neural interfaces that match the resolution and performance of the biological circuitry. We will focus on two signature efforts to spearhead the necessary advances: high-density wire bundles for electrical recording and stimulation, and analog and digital bi-directional retinal prostheses for restoration of vision.

Funded research
Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute
Stanford Brain Rejuvenation Project (Phase 2)

The Stanford Brain Rejuvenation Project is an initiative by leading aging researchers, neuroscientists, chemists, and engineers to understand the basis of brain aging and rejuvenation and how they relate to neurodegeneration.