Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain
NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
About This Grant
Project Summary Phenomenal neurochemical changes occur during human brain maturation. These changes are both heterogenous across different brain regions and heterochronous for different metabolites during this period of growth. Investigating the neurometabolic trajectory of the healthy developing brain will help establish biomarkers for dysfunctional development and brain injuries. With high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors among women of reproductive age in the U.S., understanding the effects of these risk factors on infant brain oxidative stress and neurotransmission becomes critical. Key neurometabolites of interest include neurotransmitters and neuromodulators such as glutamate (Glu), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartate (Asp), and N- acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), antioxidants such as glutathione (GSH) and ascorbate (Asc), indicators of mitochondrial dysfunction lactate (Lac), and neuronal integrity N-acetylaspartate (NAA). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is the only non-invasive tool that can measure these metabolite levels in vivo. MRS techniques incorporating imaging (MRSI) extend spatial coverage and allow the spatial distribution of brain metabolites to be mapped. However, a lack of motion-immune advanced MRS/MRSI techniques for infants and young children to map multiple metabolites simultaneously has resulted in limited knowledge of neurochemistry of early brain development. This knowledge gap directly results from the technology gap, which must be prioritized to determine the neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain. This project will help address these gaps using two approaches: i) determining the neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain localized to a single voxel in the bilateral thalamus from 0-15 months of age and determining the effect of maternal cardiometabolic risk factors to the developing neurometabolic trajectory, both of these using the publicly available HEALthy Brain and Child Development (HBCD) study MRS data; and ii) by developing an advanced multi-metabolite edited MRSI technique with robust motion correction for the pediatric population that will enable mapping of the spatial distribution of neurometabolites across the developing brain. This Pathway to Independence Award will be supported by excellent career development resources at Johns Hopkins University, and training from a mentoring team of world experts in the field of pediatric and neurodevelopmental research, advanced edited MRS, and motion-correction methods for MRI. This project will generate novel motion-robust tools to study metabolic processes in pediatric populations and also leverage the HBCD study data to advance the understanding of pediatric neurobiology, potentially indicating biomarkers for deviations from healthy brain development.
Grant Summary
Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain is a NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development grant providing up to $133K for university, nonprofit, healthcare org. Applications are due 2028-05-31 (open). Check eligibility and apply with FindGrants.
Focus Areas
Eligibility
How to Apply
Up to $133K
2028-05-31
- 1Confirm your organization is eligible for Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain from NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, checking organization type, location, and any population or project requirements.
- 2Gather the required documents and information, including your organization details, project plan, and budget figures.
- 3Draft your application narrative and budget addressing the funder's priorities and review criteria. FindGrants can draft each section for you to review and edit.
- 4Review every section against the requirements checklist, then export a submission-ready application pack and submit it to NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development before the deadline.
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Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain: Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain?
Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain is offered by NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and is generally open to university, nonprofit, healthcare org. It is open to organizations nationwide unless the funder specifies otherwise. Review the specific eligibility terms before applying, since funders set their own requirements around organization type, location, and the population or project being served.
How much funding does the Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain provide?
Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain provides up to $133K per award from NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Actual award sizes depend on the scope of your project, available program funds, and the number of applicants, so build a budget that reflects realistic, allowable costs rather than the maximum figure.
When is the Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain deadline?
Applications for Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain are due 2028-05-31 (open). Because deadlines can change, verify the date with the funder, NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and give yourself enough time to prepare a complete, competitive application before the close date.
How do you apply for the Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain?
To apply for Neurometabolic trajectory of the developing brain, confirm your eligibility, gather the required documents, and prepare a narrative and budget that address the funder's priorities. FindGrants guides you step by step and can draft each section, then exports a submission-ready application pack for this grant from NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.