Understanding how genes shape developmental disorders across tissues and time
Official title: Beyond the Causal Gene: Genome-Wide Approaches to Define the Pathophysiology of Human Developmental disorders
Funded at Dartmouth College · NIH-11594064 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research grant exploring how genetic changes lead to developmental disorders across different tissues and life stages, with the goal of mapping where, when, and why these disorders arise.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hanover, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $247,872 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM130454-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11594064 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with developmental disorders, including autistic disorder, across pediatric to adult ages, whose conditions may be linked to genetic factors in development.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without developmental disorders or without relevance to the studied genetic pathways may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to build a genome-wide and phenome-wide framework to identify the cell lineages, developmental timepoints, and regulatory programs that link diverse developmental disorders. It plans to use cutting-edge single-cell RNA sequencing and cross-species data to understand how genetic mutations cause complex disease features from infancy through adulthood. By integrating broad datasets, the work seeks to reveal shared pathways and tissue effects that underlie conditions like autism and related developmental disorders. The ultimate goal is to translate these insights into better diagnosis, prognosis, and potential therapeutic targets for affected individuals and families.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to earlier, more precise diagnoses and identify new targets for treatments that address multiple developmental symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that integrating multi-omics and cross-species data can reveal shared disease mechanisms, though applying this to human development is challenging and promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth College
Hanover, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qiu, Chengxiang — Dartmouth College
- Study coordinator: Qiu, Chengxiang
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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.