We are pleased to announce the recipients of FPWR's first round of grants in 2026, totaling more than $1 million in funding to support innovative research and bold initiatives in Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) and Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS).
These newly funded projects will advance critical research to deepen our understanding of PWS and SYS biology while accelerating the development of potential therapies and interventions to improve the lives of affected individuals and families.
In the recorded presentation below, Dr. Theresa Strong provides an overview of the 7 newly funded projects, each poised to make a significant impact on PWS and SYS research. You can watch the full update or use the links provided to jump to specific project descriptions.
FPWR Research Grant Recipients, Spring 2026
- DISRUPTING RECRUITMENT OF A CENTRAL EPIGENETIC REPRESSOR IN PWS. Bassem Al-Sady, PhD, University of California-San Diego. Learn more about this project >>
- IDENTIFYING IMPAIRED NEURAL PATHWAYS OF SATIATION FOR PRADER-WILLI SYNDROME. Haijiang Cai, PhD, University of Arizona. Learn more about this project >>
- PRECISION NEUROTROPHIN INTRANASAL DELIVERY: BDNF MEETS EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES FOR PRADER-WILLI SYNDROME TREATMENT. Simona Capsoni, PhD, DVM, University of Ferrara. Learn more about this project >>
- EPIGENETIC ACTIVATION OF THE PWS LOCUS IN POST-MITOTIC NEURONS. Charles Gersbach, PhD, Duke University. Learn more about this project >>
- ALLELE-SPECIFIC MAGEL2 MOUSE MODELS TO DEFINE CIRCADIAN AND SLEEP MECHANISMS IN PWS AND SYS SYNDROMES. Andrew Liu, PhD, University of Florida. Learn more about this project >>
- ADAPTING A GROUP INTERVENTION FOR EMOTION DYSREGULATION IN PRADER-WILLI SYNDROME. Walker McKinney, PhD, Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City. Learn more about this project >>
- ER CHAPERONES AND PERINATAL GROWTH IN PRADER-WILLI SYNDROME: THERAPY AND MECHANISMS. Robert Nicholls, PhD, University of Pittsburgh. Learn more about this project >>
