Map of gene activity in developing human tissues
Developmental GTEx Laboratory, Data Analysis and Coordination Center
Creating a shared resource of post‑mortem human tissues to show how genes are switched on and off in the developing brain, gut, lung, and heart for researchers studying developmental disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Broad Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11142611 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will build a biobank of 30 different tissues from about 120 post‑mortem human donors consented for broad research use across postnatal ages. The team will focus detailed profiling of brain, gut, lung, and heart using gene expression and chromatin accessibility methods (including RNA‑seq and ATAC‑seq) to map which genes and regulatory elements are active in specific cell types. The coordination center will run lab workflows, perform data analysis, and share cleaned data and metadata publicly so researchers everywhere can use the resource. By comparing tissues across donors and ages, the project aims to reveal how gene regulation changes during development and how those changes may relate to disease risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are postnatal donors (adolescents and adults) whose families consent to post‑mortem tissue donation for broad research use.
Not a fit: If you are a living patient seeking treatment, this project does not provide direct clinical care or immediate personal benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This resource could help researchers link genetic risk variants to specific cell types and developmental stages, guiding future diagnostics and therapies.
How similar studies have performed: The adult GTEx project successfully mapped gene expression across many tissues, and this project applies that established approach to postnatal developmental stages.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Broad Institute, INC. — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ardlie, Kristin — Broad Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Ardlie, Kristin
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.