Engineering epigenetic memory to target disease-related genes
Official title: High-throughput engineering of combinatorial chromatin signals and epigenetic cellular memory
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11229676 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring new ways to safely change how certain genes work in human cells, which could help treat diseases by turning off specific genes without the risks of traditional gene editing methods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $149,740 |
| NIH project number | 7K01HG012789-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11229676 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with genetic conditions that could benefit from targeted gene expression modulation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions not related to gene expression or those who do not have identifiable genetic variants may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing innovative methods to manipulate epigenetic signals in human cells, which can help in targeting genes associated with diseases. By using a brief synthetic therapeutic pulse, the approach aims to create lasting changes in gene expression without the risks associated with traditional gene editing techniques like CRISPR. The goal is to enhance the ability to silence specific genes effectively, potentially leading to new therapeutic strategies for various conditions. This work will involve creating advanced tools to systematically engineer these epigenetic changes at a high throughput.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective treatments for diseases linked to gene expression changes.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of engineering epigenetic memory is innovative, there have been mixed results in similar efforts, indicating both challenges and potential for breakthroughs.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hsiung, Chris Chuan Shu — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Hsiung, Chris Chuan Shu
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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.