Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis

Award Number: K08AR085924
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/14/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2030

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis - Project Summary / Abstract Career Development Context: This proposal presents a five-year research and career development program focused on advanced, intracellular, electrophysiological training to improve the care of patients with neuromuscular disease. The candidate (Adam Deardorff) is an early career MD/PhD trained clinician-scientist with board certification in neurology and additional fellowship training with board eligibility in neuromuscular medicine. He is junior faculty at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine with appointments in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology and the Department of Neurology. Under the expert guidance of his primary mentor (Dr. Mark Rich) and scientific advisory committee, the outlined proposal builds upon the candidate’s previous research and clinical expertise by integrating new training in translational neuromuscular physiology with clinically relevant and rapidly translatable hypothesis testing. At the completion of the funding period, he will have the necessary skills to undertake the physiologic analysis of every aspect of the motor unit / segmental motor system, generate his own highly effective research programs, and collaborate with other investigators around the world to advance patient care. The proposed experiments, training activities, and mentorship are therefore vital to his long-term career goal of improving the lives of patients with neuromuscular disease. Research Context: Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HPP) is a rare genetic disorder due to a mutation affecting muscle sodium channels. Patients experience episodic attacks of paralysis lasting minutes to days when their blood potassium levels increase (by diet or exercise, for example). Afflicted individuals also experience significant long-term sequelae, including progressive muscle weakness, muscle pain, and fatigue. Unfortunately, there are few effective treatments for HPP outside of lifestyle modification. This proposal strongly suggests that a) the primary mechanism of weakness in HPP has been missed and b) it is caused by reversible failure of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) rather than muscle fiber hypoexcitability (as has been previously thought). Therefore, the experiments in this proposal will for the first time provide a highly detailed and systematic investigation of muscle hypoexcitability (Aim 1) and the novel consideration of NMJ failure (Aim 2) in HPP. Establishing reversible NMJ failure as an important cause of weakness will dramatically advance our mechanistic understanding of HPP disease pathogenesis and suggest novel mechanisms of treatment with therapeutics already FDA-approved to correct NMJ failure in other illnesses. After the K08 grant period, the candidate will submit grant applications to test these novel therapeutic interventions and, if successful, rapidly translate the findings into a clinical trial. Moreover, the findings would suggest NMJ dysfunction may be more common than previously thought and could lead to new therapies in other muscle diseases as well.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $165,456 )
2025	2025	WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY	3640 COLONEL GLENN HWY	DAYTON	OH	45435	GREENE	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	1	8/14/2025	NEW	$165,456
														Subtotal = $165,456

Grand Total All Awards = $165,456

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Neuromuscular Junction Dysfunction in Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis

Award Number: K08AR085924

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/14/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2030

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer