Award
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 5R01NS130876-04
Identification of Regulatory Mechanisms Operating in Rare Pathogenic Astrocyte Subsets in Multiple Sclerosis with a Novel Genomic Technology
Recipient
University of California, San Francisco
Award Amount
$573,782.00
Ceiling
$573,782.00
Awarded
July 10, 2026
Identifier
5R01NS130876-04
NIH grant awarded to University of California, San Francisco to develop and apply SEARCH-seq technology to study rare astrocyte subsets in multiple sclerosis, aiming to understand regulatory mechanisms and identify therapeutic targets.
Description
This grant aims to develop and apply a novel genomic technology called SEARCH-seq, a high-throughput cytometry method that detects RNA or DNA markers with single molecule sensitivity. The technology will be used to study rare astrocyte subsets involved in multiple sclerosis (MS), focusing on an astrocyte subpopulation characterized by an alternatively spliced XBP1 transcript that promotes disease pathology. The project will utilize mouse models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and human MS samples to investigate the role of these cells and their interaction with nuclear receptor NR3C2 and its corepressor NCOR2.