NIH awards Creighton researcher $549,932 continuation grant to advance neuroimmune disease research
Understanding why the brain's immune system sometimes protects against disease and other times contributes to it is at the center of research led by Annemarie Shibata, PhD, professor of biology at Creighton University.
Now, that work has received renewed support from the National Institutes of Health.
Shibata has been awarded a $549,932 continuation grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance research examining how long non-coding RNAs regulate immune responses in the brain. The award continues a project previously funded by the NIH, reflecting confidence in both the research findings and the program's success in training student scientists.
The project, titled Regulation of the Microglial Neuroimmune Response by Long Non-Coding RNAs, investigates how microglia, the brain's immune cells, respond to viral infection and how those responses may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
"For me, funding means opportunity," Shibata said. "Opportunity to develop new scientists, opportunity to explore how brain cells respond to inflammation and influence the whole organism, and opportunity to contribute to new ways to combat neuroinflammatory disease."
The grant supports year-round research by four undergraduate students and one graduate student throughout the three-year project. Researchers from the Creighton University School of Medicine also collaborate on the work, giving undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct research alongside medical school faculty.
Investigating the brain’s immune response
After viral or bacterial infections, the brain's immune system launches a response intended to eliminate harmful pathogens. In some cases, however, that response becomes dysregulated, leading to prolonged inflammation that can contribute to neurodegenerative disease.
Shibata's laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms that influence whether microglia promote healthy recovery or excessive inflammation. Using established mouse models that closely resemble progressive multiple sclerosis in humans, her team is investigating long non-coding RNAs, genetic molecules that help regulate how genes are expressed during immune responses.
The next phase of the project will focus on identifying long non-coding RNAs that influence inflammatory signaling during viral infection and determining whether they could serve as future therapeutic targets.
"We hope to identify new targets for modulating neuroinflammation and the mechanisms of neurodegenerative disease," Shibata said.
Building scientists through research
The continuation grant also recognizes the project's strong record of student training.
During the initial three-year funding period, more than 14 students worked directly on the grant, with alumni going on to master's and doctoral programs, research positions and competitive fellowships. Across Shibata's laboratory, 88 students have participated in research, 74 have presented at scientific conferences and 40 have co-authored 17 research publications, with additional manuscripts currently in review or preparation.
Students participate in every stage of the research process, from working with animal models and analyzing RNA sequencing data to imaging tissues, interpreting results and contributing to scientific publications.
"My goal is that students will experience as much of the research world as possible while at Creighton," Shibata said. "They can be immersed in the research as deeply as they are willing and find the time for."
The renewed NIH funding will allow that work to continue while expanding opportunities for students to contribute to research with the potential to improve understanding of neuroinflammation and the development of future therapies for neurodegenerative disease. Learn more about undergraduate research at Creighton.
