Award
National Institute of Mental Health 5R37MH080046-19
Internal Dynamics of the Postsynaptic Density
Recipient
University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Award Amount
$679,801.00
Ceiling
$679,801.00
Awarded
December 23, 2025
Identifier
5R37MH080046-19
This award funds research on NMDA-type glutamate receptors to understand their role in synaptic plasticity and brain function, using advanced imaging and modeling techniques to study synapse nanostructure and receptor activation.
Description
NMDA-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) shape brain development, synaptic transmission, and disease by acting both as central gatekeepers of synaptic plasticity and as hubs for synaptic protein organization. This project investigates the relationship between NMDARs and their synaptic molecular environment, using advanced imaging, modeling, and machine-learning tools to understand synapse nanostructure and receptor activation. The research aims to establish a nanostructure-function workflow linking protein abundance and nanostructure to NMDAR-mediated transmission, generating a new atlas of synapse subtypes and illuminating mechanisms controlling physiological and pathological plasticity.