# NeuroMAP Phase II - Circuits and Molecules Core

> **NIH NIH P20** · LAUREATE INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH · 2024 · $481,443

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY: Circuits and Molecules Core
The Circuits and Molecules (C&M) Core of the Center for Neuroscience-based Mental Health Assessment and
Prediction (NeuroMAP) in Phase II will support Research Project Leaders (RPLs) and Pilot Project
Investigators (PPIs) by overseeing the acquisition, storage, and analysis of biological samples and
neuroimaging data. The first goal of the C&M Core is to accelerate the RPL and PPI projects by (a) providing
the necessary expertise in neuroimaging and molecular biology to ensure the success of NeuroMAP projects
and (b) aiding in the formulation of new aims and hypotheses based on common core data elements (CDE) to
make R-level grant applications more competitive. The second goal of C&M Core is to develop self-sufficiency
so that it can ultimately serve as a resource for the broader geographical region. To achieve this goal, the C&M
Core will develop a detailed business plan with cost estimates to support sustainability beyond the CoBRE.
The C&M Core will work together with the Recruitment and Assessment Core and the Data Management and
Statistics Core to support the NeuroMAP theme: the identification and validation, via an experimental
approach, of targetable disease-modifying processes (DMPs) in mood and anxiety disorders. During Phase I, a
set of CDE was established across all projects and provided a balance between the research goals of the
individual RPL projects and secondary data analyses for PPIs. During that Phase, more than 350
neuroimaging assessments were obtained consisting of a standard structural MRI, diffusion tensor imaging, a
resting state MRI, and several functional MRI tasks. Similarly, blood samples from over 350 participants were
collected to measure a range of circulating inflammatory mediators. In Phase II, the C&M Core will work with
the Recruitment and Assessment Core to collect a new imaging and laboratory data set that can be used by
RPLs to extend their projects and PPIs to identify new DMPs. The imaging and laboratory measures were
selected to delineate process dysfunctions by individuals with mood and anxiety disorders in the (a) Negative
Valence domain i.e., how individuals respond to aversive contexts, (b) Positive Valence domain i.e., how
individuals respond to positive contexts and (c) Interoception domain i.e., the processing of internal bodily
signals to affect behavior. These measures will be optimized in Phase II. Advanced sequences to measure
myelin content and neuroinflammation (restricted diffusion imaging) will be added to the Circuit component
while the Molecules component will focus on the measurement of microRNA and proteins from astrocyte-
enriched extracellular vesicles (EVs), building on our recent publications in this area. The C&M Core will be led
by Co-Directors, Drs. Rohan and Savitz with the support of Ms. Arterbury and Drs. Burrows and Misaki. Drs.
Savitz and Burrows (molecules component) will also liaise closely with Dr. Teague, director of the Integ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10894849
- **Project number:** 5P20GM121312-07
- **Recipient organization:** LAUREATE INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan Savitz
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $481,443
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-15 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10894849

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10894849, NeuroMAP Phase II - Circuits and Molecules Core (5P20GM121312-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10894849. Licensed CC0.

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