How common schizophrenia genes affect developing brain interneurons
Common schizophrenia variants functioning in developmental human cortical interneurons
This project looks at how common genetic changes linked to schizophrenia alter developing brain interneurons in people with or at risk for the condition.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11319882 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses human-derived cell models and fetal brain data to focus on a specific class of brain cells called medial ganglionic eminence-derived cortical interneurons (including parvalbumin- and somatostatin-expressing cells) that are often altered in schizophrenia. The team maps 3D chromatin interactions and measures chromatin accessibility (using ATAC-seq) to find how non-coding genetic risk regions control gene activity during development. By working with homogeneous cell populations and human tissue–based data, researchers aim to pinpoint which genetic variants act in which cells and at what developmental time points. The work is designed to connect genetic risk signals to concrete molecular changes in developing brain cells.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Suitable participants would include people with schizophrenia, individuals with a family history of schizophrenia, or donors willing to provide biological samples or postmortem tissue for research.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate symptom relief or those without relevant genetic risk are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain how genetic risk leads to changes in developing brain cells and point to new targets for early prevention or future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genetic and cell-type studies have linked schizophrenia risk to brain development, but combining 3D chromatin mapping with interneuron-specific human models is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Sangmi — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Chung, Sangmi
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.