University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Neurosurgery Associate Professor Brandon Rocque, M.D., M.S., Neurosurgery Resident Andrew Hale, M.D., Ph.D., and Informatics Institute Assistant Professor of Genetics Zechen Chong, Ph.D., recently received a $390,000 R21 grant from the National Institutes of Health for their project, “Understanding the mechanisms of congenital hydrocephalus using genomic sequencing approaches.”
 
CH is a complex neurological condition which stems from an abnormal buildup of cerebrospinal fluid within the cerebral ventricles. Recent studies have identified some CH-associated genes, stressing the role of genetics in CH. However, these genetic aspects explain only a fraction of CH cases, leaving many unsolved. 
 
Their project, which aims to develop and apply new genomics tools to advance the understanding of the biological mechanisms of CH, will be funded through 2025. 
 
Insights gained from their project may lead to further discovery of additional causal genetic factors of CH and prevent barriers in advancing precise diagnostics and effective treatments.