Funding outcome

CIC-related neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) is a rare genetic condition caused by damaging changes in the CIC gene. Children with CIC-related NDD often experience learning and memory problems, seizures, and other neurological symptoms. CIC plays important roles in both the brain and the immune system, but how disruptions in these systems contribute to disease remains unclear. Our study aims to uncover how CIC regulates immune pathways that impact brain development and function. We focus on two key questions: 1. Is CIC required in immune cells to protect the developing brain during inflammation? 2. Does CIC play a role in the cycle between seizures and immune pathways in the brain? By answering these questions, we hope to clarify how immune responses-both from the body and the brain-contribute to CIC-related NDD. In the long term, our findings may help explain why some children develop lasting neurological symptoms after infections, or why certain patients respond poorly to anti-seizure medications. This research could open the door to new strategies for diagnosing and treating not only CIC-related NDD, but also other disorders where immune and brain health intersect.