WASHINGTON — The state of West Virginia has received a five-year $20 million grant to create a statewide neuroscience research network, officials announced on Monday.

The funds through the competitive grant from the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research will boost scientific research and upgrade infrastructure at West Virginia University, Marshall University, West Virginia State University and Shepherd University.

The West Virginia Network Network for Functional Neuroscience and Transcriptomics will be created and will be a collaboration of neuroscientists and bioinformaticists to position West Virginia as a center for neuroscience research, according to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

West Virginia has been a leader in neuroscience capabilities and research for years, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., also a member of the committee, said. It’s important higher education institutions in the state have the resources and tools needed to continue that leadership into the future, she said.

“I have been a steadfast supporter of ESPCoR programs, as they give our students and professionals unprecedented opportunities to advance scientific progress right here in West Virginia,” Capito said.

The allocation of the grant is: $9.3 million, West Virginia University; $6,014,562, Marshall University; $2,001,879, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission; $1,738,101, West Virginia State University; $945,458, Shepherd University.

“WVU, in collaboration with its colleagues, will play a central role in developing and deploying new technologies such as stimulated emission depletion microscopy and single-cell or spatial transcriptomics — gene transcription — to understand the plasticity of synapses, glia, neurons and circuits in animal models,” Randy Nelson, chair and professor of the WVU Department of Neuroscience, part of the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, said.

Nelson also is leading the university’s efforts for the proposed West Virginia Network for Functional Neuroscience and Transcriptomics.

Students will benefit with opportunities in neuroscience and data research and will contribute overall to the science education of K-12 schools in West Virginia, he said.

“A significant portion of the research component of this project will be conducted by an undergraduate workforce,” Nelson said.