Creating Frog Models for Human Diseases
Official title: Xenopus Mutant Resource
Funded at Marine Biological Laboratory · NIH-11134694 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project creates special frog models using gene editing to help scientists better understand and find new treatments for human diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Marine Biological Laboratory NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Woods Hole, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $769,186 |
| NIH project number | 5R24OD030008-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11134694 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve human patients, but future studies building on these models could seek individuals with specific genetic conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients will not directly receive treatment or participate in this specific project, as it focuses on developing animal models for research.
What this research studies
This project focuses on creating and studying genetically modified frogs, called Xenopus, to serve as models for various human diseases. Researchers use advanced gene-editing tools like CRISPR-Cas to precisely change genes in these frogs, mimicking genetic conditions found in people. The goal is to develop a wide range of frog models that the broader scientific community can use to explore disease mechanisms and test potential therapies. By studying these models, scientists hope to gain new insights into how human diseases develop and progress.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of human diseases and accelerate the discovery of new treatments by providing valuable research tools.
How similar studies have gone: Using animal models like frogs to understand human diseases is a well-established approach in biomedical research, with many past successes in uncovering disease mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
Marine Biological Laboratory
Woods Hole, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Horb, Marko E — Marine Biological Laboratory
- Study coordinator: Horb, Marko E
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how salamanders regrow limbs and what it could mean for human healing
Scientists study how salamanders regenerate limbs to find clues that could help people heal better after injuries.
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Improving cryopreservation of Xenopus sperm for accessible transgenic research
This grant supports the National Xenopus Resource to improve storing Xenopus sperm so researchers can reliably create transgenic embryos.
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Curation and informatics for the National Xenopus Resource
This grant helps improve how information about Xenopus resources is organized and shared with scientists and educators.
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National Xenopus Resource Center for amphibian model research
A national center provides Xenopus frog stocks, training, and resources to researchers to advance biology using this amphibian model.
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Understanding how epithelial tubes form and stay intact in sea-star and other animals
A new NIH grant will study how tiny tubes in tissues are built and kept healthy, using sea star models to learn science that could impact human organ development.
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Xenopus Mutant Resource for human-disease models
This NIH grant helps the Marine Biological Laboratory create and share Xenopus frog models of human diseases, using CRISPR to build precise genetic mutations and new lines for genome editing.
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.