Mapping genome control switches in immune cells to understand autoimmune diseases
Official title: Multiscale genome engineering to map cis-regulatory variants in human and mouse
Funded at New York Genome Center · NIH-11384801 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A team will build a high-throughput toolbox to map how noncoding genome regions control gene activity in human immune cells to better understand autoimmune diseases and brittle diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York Genome Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,118,587 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HG012790-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384801 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with autoimmune diseases or brittle diabetes mellitus who may benefit from insights into immune system regulation and potential future targeted therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People without autoimmune conditions may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how genetic variants outside genes influence immune cell behavior, especially T cells. Researchers will use CRISPR-based screens in primary human T cells to identify genes and regulatory elements that drive T-cell differentiation and activation. They will then map enhancer elements near key genes and study how changes in these regions affect immune function using single-cell analysis and saturation mutagenesis. Finally, they will apply CRISPR interference/activation to test hundreds of candidate regulatory regions at GWAS loci to build a context-specific enhancer map for autoimmune traits.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets to treat autoimmune diseases by modulating immune cell regulation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous CRISPR-based regulatory screens have shown promise in mapping gene control regions, supporting this approach as potentially impactful.
Where this research is happening
-
New York Genome Center
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sanjana, Neville — New York Genome Center
- Study coordinator: Sanjana, Neville
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.