Charles Anderson, PhD, associate professor in the West Virginia University School of Medicine Department of Neuroscience, has received notification of continued funding for the research project “The effects of synaptically released zinc on neuronal processing and brain function.”
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a part of the National Institutes of Health, awarded $618,864 for the 2026 fiscal year, which represents year six of the 10-year grant totaling $3,238,708.
The grant supports research into understanding how synaptic zinc influences brain function and neurological disorders. This project examines how zinc transporter proteins control zinc movement between brain cells. It also looks at how zinc affects neuron communication, the structure of these connections, and overall brain function. This research will help to better understand the role of zinc in brain function and may help identify new treatments for neurological conditions such as schizophrenia, autism, and other disorders linked to problems with zinc signaling.