How the left-right body axis forms during early development
Official title: Establishing anterior-posterior asymmetry in the left-right organizer.
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11595516 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how the left-right body axis is set up in early embryos, aiming to understand and prevent birth defects related to organ placement.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $500,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R56HD118044-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11595516 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to this basic science grant as described; no human participants are recruited.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement in this basic science study.
What this research studies
Researchers will study the left-right organizer in vertebrate embryos to see how asymmetric cell structures and fluid flows establish the left-right axis. They will examine how anterior-posterior signals influence these processes and how physical properties of the organizer affect development. The work combines 3-D modeling and experiments to uncover biochemical and biophysical mechanisms behind early asymmetry, with hopes of informing diagnostics or interventions for related birth defects.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Gaining insight into why some embryos develop with mirrored or misaligned organs could lead to earlier diagnosis or new strategies to prevent congenital birth defects.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in vertebrate models suggests LR asymmetry is driven by cilia-driven flows and AP asymmetry, but precise AP-specific control remains to be clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Amack, Jeffrey D — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Amack, Jeffrey D
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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.