Thursday, September 18, 2025 9/18/2025

Assay of chemicals for Parkinson's toxicity in human iPSC-derived neurons

Award Number: R44ES026268
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2015
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2021

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Assay of chemicals for Parkinson's toxicity in human iPSC-derived neurons - Parkinson’s Disease (PD) afflicts ~1% of humans and prevalence increases with age. Initial symptoms include tremors in extremities, but PD progresses over years, affecting additional limbs, with impairment of mood/behavior/cognition. Familial PD makes up ~10% of cases while certain chemicals/environmental toxicants (e.g., rotenone, paraquat, maneb) increase the risk of PD and much evidence points to genetic x environmental interactions. The overall goal of our project is to develop an assay system, utilizing dopaminergic neurons derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-DNs and iPSC-MGs) and automated digital microscopy and associated methods (Kinetic Image Cytometry [KIC] and High Content Analysis [HCA]) to enable screening of environmental toxicants for potential PD toxicity. In phase I we demonstrated that iPSC-DN featuring the A53T-a-Syn mutation (which causes early-onset PD, with high penetrance) have increased spontaneous activity (calcium and voltage transients) and increased sensitivity to PD-linked toxicants vs. neurons with wt-a-Syn, which demonstrates the feasibility of our approach. In Phase II we will collaborate with researchers at The Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center, to further develop our assay methods, utilizing iPSC-DNs that feature G2019S-LRRK2, a common, PD-associated mutation, that has very recently been linked to increased susceptibility to environmental toxicants, iPSC lines representing both sexes, and lines derived from subjects with sporadic PD. We will also develop a coculture system with both iPSC-DNs and iPSC-MGs in the culture wells. The resulting assay system will enable the most comprehensive screening of environmental toxicants for potential PD-inducing effects, yet available. Potential customers for the assay include government agencies, such as the US EPA and the National Toxicology Program, and global agencies concerned with the effects of industrial/agricultural chemicals on human health.


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: 2022 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2022	2019	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	000	3	11/20/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $742,257 )
2019	2019	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	002	3	7/24/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$742,257
2019	2018	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	000	2	3/28/2019	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2019	2018	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	001	2	3/29/2019	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$0
														Subtotal = $742,257

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $1,265,760 )
2018	2018	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	002	2	9/17/2018	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$0
2018	2018	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	000	2	5/23/2018	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$752,246
2018	2018	VALA SCIENCES INC.	6370 NANCY RIDGE DR STE 106	SAN DIEGO	CA	92121	SAN DIEGO	USA	Environmental Health	001	2	8/31/2018	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$513,514
														Subtotal = $1,265,760

Grand Total All Awards = $2,008,017

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Assay of chemicals for Parkinson's toxicity in human iPSC-derived neurons

Award Number: R44ES026268

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2015

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/31/2021

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer