Controlling and tracking RNA inside nerve cells
Manipulating and Interrogating Spatial Transcriptomics
This project creates new tools to watch where RNA goes inside nerve cells and to move it, aiming to help people with ALS and related nerve diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144530 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building laboratory tools that combine high-resolution imaging, sequencing, and computational maps to see where thousands of RNAs sit inside individual neurons. They plan to follow RNA molecules in real time and use programmable methods to move endogenous RNAs to different parts of the cell. The team will apply these tools in nerve cells and animal models to link RNA mislocalization to conditions like ALS and spinal muscular atrophy. Over time this work could create atlases and experimental handles that point toward new treatment ideas.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ALS, spinal muscular atrophy, or related motor neuron disorders who are willing to donate tissue or participate in future translational studies would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients without nerve-cell disorders or those seeking immediate therapies are unlikely to get direct benefit from this early-stage laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these technologies could reveal how misplaced RNAs damage nerve cell axons and point to new targets or strategies to protect neurons in ALS and similar diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has shown RNAs localize within neurons and can be linked to disease, but combining live RNA tracking with programmable manipulation of endogenous RNAs is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qi, Lei Stanley — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Qi, Lei Stanley
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.