# Enhancement of neural regeneration

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $400,968

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Organisms with regenerative abilities have been informative models for uncovering natural mechanisms by
which nervous system damage activates stem or progenitor cells for injury repair. The timing, location, and
extent of injuries are not predetermined, requiring the existence of mechanisms that instruct tissue restoration
activities that perfectly counter the effects of damage. A key question to understand this process is how
cessation of regenerative growth is accomplished. To begin to address this question, it is essential to define
the transcriptional and cell signaling systems that negatively regulate adult regenerative neurogenesis. While
regenerative tissues have been extensively probed for positive regulators of regeneration, much less is known
about factors that act in opposition and whose inhibition could lead to enhanced neural regeneration. In the
aims of this grant, this deficit is addressed by leveraging expertise in the planarian system, which uniquely
allows access to the biology of complete adult brain regeneration. Uncovering the conserved and fundamental
mechanisms used by organisms to limit the extent and rate of tissue regeneration and cell turnover will provide
foundational insights into understanding and ultimately treating diseases characterized by an inability to
undergo sufficient neural repair.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10003372
- **Project number:** 5R01GM130835-02
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Christian Petersen
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $400,968
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-01 → 2023-07-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10003372

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10003372, Enhancement of neural regeneration (5R01GM130835-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10003372. Licensed CC0.

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