Regulatory switches that control imprinting in early human development
Official title: Regulatory mechanisms governing imprinted domains during early development
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11668004 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how certain genes stay “one-copy” active in early development and what goes wrong in assisted reproduction, with a focus on imprinting disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $375,940 |
| NIH project number | 6R01HD109347-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11668004 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not directly recruiting patients in this grant; findings could eventually inform patients at risk for imprinting disorders or undergoing assisted reproduction.
✕Less likely to help
Current participants are not patients; results are in basic biology with future translational potential.
What this research studies
Researchers will explore how genomic imprinting is controlled during preimplantation development using mouse models to uncover mechanisms that keep one parental gene active and regulate lncRNA transcription. They will use an RNA interference screen to identify epigenetic regulators of imprinted domains, focusing on candidates like NUP107 and NUP153 that may scaffold an active transcription environment at imprinting control regions. The goal is to illuminate how imprinting is established and maintained, which could inform safer assisted reproductive practices and potential therapeutic avenues. The study is anchored at the University of Pittsburgh with collaboration between chromatin biology and developmental biology teams, and it runs through mid-2027.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Gains could lead to better understanding of imprinting disorders and safer assisted reproduction practices.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows imprinting regulators influence developmental gene expression, making this a promising area with established precedents.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mann, Mellissa Rae Wigle — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Mann, Mellissa Rae Wigle
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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.