This challenge targets the hypothesis: **Metabolic NAD+ Salvage Pathway Enhancement Through NAMPT Overexpression** **Hypothesis Summary:** **Molecular Mechanism and Rationale** The NAD+ salvage pathway represents a critical metabolic hub in neuronal energy homeostasis, with NAMPT functioning as the pivotal rate-limiting enzyme that governs cellular NAD+ availability. NAMPT catalyzes the condensation of nicotinamide with 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP) to generate nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), which serves as the immediate precursor for NAD+ synthesis through the sequential action of nicotinamide mononucleotide adenyly **Falsifiable Predictions:** 1. Pharmacological modulation of NAMPT will alter neurodegeneration markers in validated models by ≥20% 2. Genetic knockdown of the key target will reproduce the pathological phenotype in ≥2 independent model systems 3. Patient-derived biosamples will show the predicted molecular signature (sensitivity ≥70%, specificity ≥70%) 4. Mechanistic intervention at the proposed node will rescue neuronal viability in vitro by ≥30% **Bounty Tier:** $124,540 USD (composite score 0.745) **Challenge Type:** Open — any team may submit experimental evidence supporting or refuting this hypothesis **Success Criteria:** Peer-reviewed evidence demonstrating mechanistic validation of ≥2 of the 4 predictions, with independent replication.