# Molecular Heterogeneity and Functional Diversity of the Vestibular System

> **NIH NIH K99** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $65,904

## Abstract

Project Summary
 This K99/R00 career development award proposal describes a two-year mentored and three-year
independent research program essential for the development of the principal investigator as an independent
investigator. The principal investigator received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University for
his work on the differential regulation of pain and itch sensations by a small subset of spinal cord interneurons,
and the molecular mechanisms by which proteases induce itch sensation in the periphery. This research project
was conducted under the supervision of Dr. Xinzhong Dong. He then joined Dr. Ulrich Mueller's laboratory at
Johns Hopkins to receive training in auditory neuroscience. His specific project focused on the analysis of the
mechanisms that regulate the differentiation of auditory sensory afferent neurons. The study revealed neuronal
heterogeneity in auditory afferents and demonstrated that activity dependent mechanisms are critical for
neuronal diversification. The proposed training for this K99/R00 application will be supported by an advisory
team consisting of Dr. Mueller (mentor), Dr. Sascha du Lac (co-mentor) and Dr. Loyal Goff (consultant). The
advisory team will assist with specific techniques, help to identify job opportunities, aid in preparation for job
interviews and help to build his laboratory. In addition, proposed courses, scientific meetings and seminars will
complement the training program to accomplish his goal to become a successful independent investigator.
 The long-term research goal of the proposed work is to define the molecular mechanisms by which vestibular
circuits differentially encode sensory information to shape our sense of balance. Specifically, this proposal will
focus on the vestibular ganglion neurons (VGNs), which transmit vestibular information to the CNS. The research
plan proposes to test the central hypothesis that VGNs are a group of functionally diverse neurons that can be
categorized into subtypes which transmit distinct aspects of vestibular information to the CNS. This hypothesis
is built upon preliminary data showing that 1) VGNs consist of molecularly distinct subtypes defined by single-
cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and verified at RNA and protein levels; and 2) activity-dependent mechanisms
contribute to the establishment of VGN circuits. During the mentored phase, the proposed studies will define the
molecular heterogeneity of VGNs; characterize VGN subtypes; and map their central and peripheral projections.
In the independent phase, the investigator will built on the data collected in the mentored phase to investigate
functional and developmental diversification of VGN subtypes. The central hypothesis will be tested using an
experimental strategy that combines scRNAseq, genetic based circuit mapping, functional circuit perturbation
and quantitative behavioral analyses. The results will lay a solid foundation to support the principal investigator's
research g...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10127617
- **Project number:** 5K99DC018574-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Shuohao Sun
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $65,904
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2021-09-12

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10127617

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10127617, Molecular Heterogeneity and Functional Diversity of the Vestibular System (5K99DC018574-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10127617. Licensed CC0.

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