Non-coding RNA map for healthy and diseased skeletal muscle
Mapping the non-coding RNA landscape in skeletal muscle health and disease
This project will build a detailed map of non-coding RNAs in adult skeletal muscle to help guide new treatments for conditions like facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309094 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will create an atlas of non-coding RNAs in adult skeletal muscle using samples from people with FSHD and healthy donors. They will apply improved RNA-profiling methods plus single-cell and spatial approaches to capture RNAs that routine tests miss. The team will study how DUX4 and other non-coding RNAs change in diseased muscle and which cell types produce them. The goal is to find RNA markers and potential antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targets that could lead to new therapies or biomarkers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults (21+) with FSHD or other skeletal muscle disorders who can donate muscle tissue samples or participate in clinic visits, as well as healthy adult controls.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatment, pediatric patients, or individuals unable or unwilling to provide tissue samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic research project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new RNA targets and biomarkers that enable antisense-based therapies or better diagnosis for FSHD and other muscle diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Antisense therapies have proven effective in some other neuromuscular diseases, but comprehensive mapping of non-polyadenylated non-coding RNAs in human muscle and applying those findings to FSHD is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cosgrove, Benjamin David — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Cosgrove, Benjamin David
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.