Alessandra Porcu, assistant professor in the Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences at the University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy, has received her first R01 grant—a five-year, $2.5 million award from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
The grant will support Porcu’s research on how light exposure during adolescence influences the development of brain circuits that regulate emotion and stress. The long-term goal of the study is to inform the development of preventive strategies and new therapies for anxiety disorders.
More than 80 percent of the global population lives under light-polluted skies, with indoor light exposure rising due to factors like electronic devices. Exposure to altered light environments induces circadian disruptions, leading to adverse neurophysiological and behavioral changes including anxiety disorders. Adolescents—who often have altered sleep patterns and extensive screen time—are particularly vulnerable to circadian disruptions.
Our goal is to provide preclinical data to develop safe light interventions that enhance resilience and prevent affective disorders in adolescents experiencing circadian disruptions.
“This R01 is a continuation of the journey that started with my K99/R00 and builds on years of collaborative work, critical feedback, and the unwavering support of mentors, colleagues and my amazing team,” says Porcu. “Our goal is to provide preclinical data to develop safe light interventions that enhance resilience and prevent affective disorders in adolescents experiencing circadian disruptions.”
Porcu, in collaboration with fourth-year pharmacy student Emily Rudisell, also recently published an article in BMJ Mental Health, which explores the impact of circadian rhythms on the effectiveness of benzodiazepines in managing acute agitation in emergency department settings.
Lorne Hofseth, associate dean for research at the College of Pharmacy, said receiving an R01 grant from the NIH is the pinnacle of independent, investigator-driven research.
“This remarkable milestone in Dr. Porcu’s young career showcases her innovative work in chronopharmacology and reflects the impact of the USC Propel program, which she joined in its first cohort in 2022,” Hofseth said. “She has now received the funding to move her lab from the ‘idea stage’ to the ‘discovery stage.’”