Better tools to read how gene edits affect individual brain cells related to mental health
Methods for single-cell CRISPR screens and multiomic data: constructing powerful well-calibrated tests, circumventing unmeasured confounding, and accounting for denoising and imputation
The team is building new data and statistical tools to detect how gene edits change single brain cells to help researchers understand causes of psychiatric conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308644 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project develops new statistical methods to combine single-cell and tissue-level gene activity data and to use CRISPR gene-editing screens at the single-cell level. The researchers are creating better tests that increase signal while avoiding bias from hidden factors, and improving ways to denoise and fill in missing multi-omic data so results are clearer. A key aim is to find groups of genes that act together in specific cell types and times to influence psychopathology. The work uses computational analysis and lab-based screens rather than enrolling patients directly, but it is focused on questions relevant to mental health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant does not enroll patients directly, but people living with psychiatric disorders are the intended long-term beneficiaries of the discoveries enabled by the methods.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments should not expect direct clinical benefit from this basic-methods project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tools could help pinpoint gene networks behind psychiatric disorders and accelerate development of targeted therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Single-cell CRISPR screening and multi-omics approaches have shown promising early results, while the specific statistical solutions proposed here are novel and still under testing.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- Carnegie-Mellon University — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roeder, Kathryn M — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Roeder, Kathryn M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.