Dr. Maria Chiara Manzini Awarded NIMH R21 Grant to Study Sex-Specific Mechanisms in Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Dr. Maria Chiara Manzini, Associate Professor in the Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology at RWJMS and BHI core member, has received an R21 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for the project “Molecular mechanisms of sex-specific deficits in neurodevelopmental disease.” This project investigates how sex hormones and signaling pathways contribute to the male-biased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and related neurodevelopmental disorders. Using CC2D1A mutant mouse models, Dr. Manzini will explore how hormonal influences during development drive sex-specific brain signaling and behavior, with the goal of informing targeted therapeutic strategies.