CMU Biology professor awarded $1.87 million NIH grant to study how social stress shapes the brain

Peter Dijkstra, professor of biology at Central Michigan University, has been awarded a $1.87 million Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA R35) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences at the National Institute of Health. The five-year award will support his research program examining how social experiences, including chronic stress and competition, shape brain function at the cellular level.

“This type of grant is transformative,” Dijkstra said. “It allows us to focus on the big picture, understanding how the brain copes with stress over time rather than just one isolated project.”

From social conflict to brain chemistry

Social stress is a normal part of life across species, but when stress becomes chronic, it can disrupt the brain’s balance and contribute to conditions such as depression and neurodegeneration. At the center of this disruption is oxidative stress, a condition caused by an imbalance between harmful molecules and the body’s ability to neutralize them.

Dijkstra’s lab investigates how that imbalance develops and how the brain responds biologically.

Using the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni, also known as Burton’s mouthbrooder, researchers examine how dominance, competition and social history influence the brain’s ability to maintain stability under stress.

“These fish give us a unique window into social life,” Dijkstra said. “You can clearly see who is dominant and who is subordinate, and those roles come with very different biological challenges.”

A closer look at resilience

The newly funded project focuses on mitochondria, the structures within cells responsible for producing energy, as key links between social stress and brain health. Because mitochondria also generate reactive oxygen species, they play a significant role in oxidative stress and recovery.

This portion of the work is being conducted in collaboration with mitochondrial biochemist Dr. Edward McKee and his research team at CMU’s College of Medicine.

“Social stress doesn’t just affect behavior, it changes how the brain uses energy and protects itself,” Dijkstra said. “We want to know how past social experiences shape the brain’s ability to handle new challenges.”

Why the research matters

Understanding how the brain adapts, or fails to adapt, to stress could have broad implications for human health.

“This work could help us identify new ways to protect the brain,” Dijkstra said. “If we understand the mechanisms that make some individuals more resilient, we may be able to develop strategies to reduce damage from stress-related conditions.”

Supporting long-term discovery

Unlike traditional project-based grants, the MIRA R35 supports an entire research program, providing flexibility and sustained funding for broader scientific questions.

That support also expands opportunities for student researchers. The grant was built in part on pilot data generated by undergraduate and graduate students, highlighting the key role trainees play in advancing discoveries in Dijkstra’s lab.

“This grant provides stability not just for the science, but for the people doing it,” Dijkstra said. “It allows us to train students, build collaborations and take risks that lead to real breakthroughs.”

The award follows separate $1.8 million National Science Foundation award led by Dijkstra to examine social behavior and decision making in the brain.

Together, the two projects expand the lab’s ability to investigate how social environments shape brain function while strengthening CMU’s growing research presence in neuroscience and stress biology.