Immune Signaling and Neurologic Disorders – ISND
NOTE: Starts with the October 2026 Council round submission dates (Cycle I due dates). This study section was evaluated as part of CSR’s ENQUIRE process to align study sections with advances in science. Learn more about ENQUIRE.
The ISND study section reviews innate and adaptive immune cells and signaling pathways underlying neuroinflammation and neurological disorders. Areas covered will include the contributions of gene-environment interactions and infections to neuropathology across the lifespan and neurological disorders. Most studies use in vitro and ex vivo systems, but the study section also reviews applications using in vivo studies.
Review Dates
Topics
- Involvement and role of microglia activation and other innate immune cells and signaling pathways in pathogenesis, neuroinflammation, pathophysiology, and progression of neurological disorders.
- Involvement and role of adaptive immune system including activation and regulation of T cells and B cells in neuropathology across the lifespan and neurological disorders.
- Involvement and role of cytokines, chemokines, complement system, and inflammasome in neuropathology across the lifespan and neurological disorders.
- Role of gene-environment interactions on immune cell function that contributes to neuropathology across the lifespan and neurological disorders.
- Neuroinflammation and neuroimmune activation following bacterial and viral infections contributing to neuropathology across the lifespan and neurological disorders.
- Disorders studied may include but are not limited to: epilepsy, neurological trauma, developmental disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and neurological sequalae of common infections when using in vitro or ex-vivo models.
Shared Interests and Overlaps
There is overlapping and shared interest with the following review panels:
There is shared interest between CNBT and ISND in reviewing applications that study immune signaling in response to infectious disease and autoimmune diseases. Applications focus on the mechanistic aspects of these diseases are reviewed in ISND, while progression and pathogenesis involving relevant animal models/human subjects/ specimens are reviewed in CNBT.
There is significant shared interest between NP-A 85 and ISND in reviewing applications on neuroimmunology and infection. Applications that study neuroinflammation and neuroimmunology in the context of neuronal and brain injury, epilepsy, stroke using relevant animal models and human subjects are reviewed in NP-A 85 while those that are predominantly at the cellular level, in vitro or ex vivo, are reviewed in ISND.
There is shared interest between BMGS and ISND in reviewing applications that study glia and immune signaling in the CNS. Applications that focus on innate immunity and microglia in neuroinflammation are reviewed in ISND while those that are predominantly focused on basic glial function are reviewed in BMGS.
There are shared interests in neuroimmunology in the CNS between ISND and BNRS. Applications that emphasize neuroimmunology in a behavioral context are reviewed by BNRS while those that emphasize neuroimmunology in disease mechanisms and focus predominantly on the molecular or cellular level, in vitro or ex vivo, are reviewed in ISND.
There is shared interest between NICT and ISND in review of applications focused on neuro-glial interactions. If the focus is on innate or adaptive immune mechanisms in neurological pathology, applications are typically reviewed in ISND, while applications examining neuro-glial interaction and mechanisms focused on changes in neuronal function in the context of neurodegeneration are more suitable for NICT.
