Early sympathetic nerve development and infant neuroblastoma
Official title: Investigating the relationship between Sympathetic Nervous System Development and Neuroblastoma
Funded at Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo) · NIH-11397244 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how embryonic nerve cells grow and connect to help explain causes of infant neuroblastoma and some birth defects.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo) NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $397,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS128108-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397244 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families affected by infant neuroblastoma or congenital problems of blood pressure/heart-rate control who want to support research or be considered for future translational studies would be the most relevant group.
✕Less likely to help
Adults with unrelated medical conditions or diseases not involving the sympathetic nervous system are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic developmental research.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, scientists will track how neural crest cells move and change as they form the sympathetic nervous system using advanced live imaging and single-cell gene mapping in an avian (bird) model. They will focus on signals that guide migration, survival, and differentiation, with special attention to the TrkB pathway. Most experiments are done in the lab with chick embryos, but the team plans to translate findings to mammalian systems over time. The goal is to map when and where key signals act so researchers can link developmental errors to neuroblastoma and congenital autonomic problems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify molecular signals that lead to neuroblastoma or sympathetic nervous system birth defects, pointing to new prevention strategies or treatment targets.
How similar studies have gone: Related single-cell and imaging studies have improved understanding of embryonic cell behavior, but applying these combined methods specifically to sympathetic nervous system formation and neuroblastoma is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
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Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo)
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kasemeier, Jennifer — Children's Mercy Hosp (Kansas City, Mo)
- Study coordinator: Kasemeier, Jennifer
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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.