Zebrafish models of human diseases to help diagnose rare genetic conditions
Official title: Resource of zebrafish models of human diseases
Funded at University of Oregon · NIH-11395300 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project will create zebrafish models of human genetic diseases to help understand rare patient variants and speed up diagnosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oregon NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Eugene, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $743,926 |
| NIH project number | 5R24OD036061-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395300 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with undiagnosed rare genetic diseases whose variants may be studied in zebrafish models.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose genetic variants are not studied or lack suitable zebrafish counterparts may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Researchers will build a library of zebrafish models that carry human disease variants identified in undiagnosed patients. They will prioritize variants using patient data, create humanized zebrafish strains with CRISPR/Cas9, and validate these models with sequencing and observable traits. The resulting models will be shared with the scientific community through the Zebrafish International Resource Center. This work aims to translate patient genetic information into tangible animal models that illuminate disease biology and potential paths for treatment. Participation would involve collaboration with clinical centers and genetic testing teams to obtain variant data.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with undiagnosed genetic diseases could receive faster, more accurate genetic diagnoses and better-informed treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: Previous model-organism efforts have successfully linked human genes to disease traits using zebrafish models; this project proposes a scalable, translatable expansion.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Oregon
Eugene, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Westerfield, Monte — University of Oregon
- Study coordinator: Westerfield, Monte
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.