How alternative splicing shapes brain development and its epigenetic programs
Official title: Alternative Splicing Directed Epigenetic Regulation in Brain Development
Funded at Case Western Reserve University · NIH-11484189 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH-funded project will explore how a brain-specific splice variant of a chromatin regulator helps guide brain cell development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | April 15, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $196,250 |
| NIH project number | 7R21NS140948-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11484189 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with neurodevelopmental concerns or families interested in the biology of brain development and its link to genetic regulation.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without neurodevelopmental concerns may not directly benefit from this basic mechanistic study.
What this research studies
This project will study how alternative RNA splicing of the DPF2 component of the BAF chromatin-remodeling complex influences epigenetic patterns during brain development. Using genome-edited stem cells and mouse models, researchers will compare the effects of the DPF2-S (short) and DPF2-L (long) isoforms on gene regulation and neuronal maturation. The work aims to map how splicing changes alter chromatin marks and enhancer activity, affecting neural differentiation outcomes. Results could clarify fundamental mechanisms of brain development and identify targets for disorders where development goes awry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these mechanisms could lead to future strategies for diagnosing or treating neurodevelopmental disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Similar approaches using CRISPR and mouse models have successfully linked splicing to chromatin regulation and neurodevelopment in other systems.
Where this research is happening
-
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nazim, Mohammad — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Nazim, Mohammad
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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.