# Neural basis of movement in health and disease

> **NIH NIH F99** · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER · 2024 · $45,473

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY AND ABSTRACT
Movement is a fundamental component of behavior that is established and refined throughout development into
adulthood. Over the course of a lifetime, our capacity to move is susceptible to neurological disorders and injuries
that can pose significant and sometimes fatal risks to human health. This proposal aims to elucidate the
underlying molecular mechanisms governing the establishment, maintenance, and adaptation of locomotor
behaviors and their disruptions in disease. Utilizing advanced techniques, including genetics, imaging, neuronal
tracing, and circuit manipulations, I will investigate motor regulation in awake, behaving animals. My predoctoral
and postdoctoral research training will provide a solid foundation for me to become an independent investigator
equipped with the knowledge and expertise to uncover essential principles governing motor regulation in health
and disease. My predoctoral research focuses on developmental pathways that guide the formation of neural
circuits capable of producing rhythmic locomotion. I have chosen the model organism C. elegans for my
predoctoral research due to its strengths, including a well-defined time course of development, a collection of
powerful genetic tools, a fully resolved connectome, and an array of naturalistic behaviors available for study.
Research in Aim 1 (F99 phase) will elucidate the development and regulation of rhythmic locomotion in C.
elegans. I hypothesize that individual Wnt pathways have specific roles in programming neural circuits for
locomotion and gait transitions in juvenile and adult animals. My predoctoral studies will introduce technical and
intellectual innovations to the investigation of locomotor regulation, providing critical insights into the genetic
programs necessary for the establishment and maturation of rhythmic locomotion at various developmental
stages. In Aim 2 (K00 phase), I will identify a postdoctoral program focusing on mammalian neural circuits for
motor control. Research training in the K00 phase will allow me to gain expertise in mouse models of motor
regulation and dysfunction. I will work with my supervisory committee and sponsor to identify postdoctoral labs
with a supportive environment for my progression into independent research. Upon completion of these Aims, I
will have acquired the skills and knowledge to transition into an independent scientist role, where I will conduct
foundational research in motor circuit development and regulation, uncovering motor disorder processes and
potential therapies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10930140
- **Project number:** 5F99NS135767-02
- **Recipient organization:** FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Cera Hassinan
- **Activity code:** F99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $45,473
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-15 → 2025-06-13

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10930140

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10930140, Neural basis of movement in health and disease (5F99NS135767-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10930140. Licensed CC0.

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