NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

Molecular Gene Knockout Resource Center for Human iPSCs

Official title: JAX MorPhiC Data Production Center

Funded at Jackson Laboratory · NIH-11355419 · Data updated 2026-11-12

A national center will systematically create and study human iPSCs with 250 gene knockouts to uncover how these genes affect early development and neurodevelopment.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionJackson Laboratory
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Bar Harbor, United States)
Project startAugust 4, 2022
Project endMay 31, 2027
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$1,874,508
NIH project number5UM1HG012651-05
Project IDNIH-11355419 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Not directly a patient study; findings may inform future therapies for individuals with developmental gene disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Less likely to help

This project does not involve direct patient participation or treatment during the study.

What this research studies

This project centers at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine and builds a team to produce and characterize null alleles in human iPSCs. We will engineer knockouts of 250 protein-coding genes and differentiate the edited cells into extra-embryonic and neuroectodermal lineages, then perform deep phenotyping including single-cell analysis and metabolomics. The goal is to map how loss of each gene alters cellular function and development, with a focus on genes relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders. The findings could reveal new biological insights and potential targets for treating developmental diseases.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, it could reveal gene functions critical for human development and identify new avenues for understanding and treating neurodevelopmental disorders.

How similar studies have gone: Similar large-scale gene knockout projects have generated valuable functional maps in human cells, though this project’s combination of iPSC-derived lineages and deep phenotyping is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

  • Jackson Laboratory
    Bar Harbor, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Robson, Paul — Jackson Laboratory
  • Study coordinator: Robson, Paul

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.