# Center for Functional Validation and Evaluation of ENCODE Enhancer regions, Grant Number 5UM1HG009426

> **NIH NIH UM1** · TEMPUS LABS, INC. · 2021 · $382,708

## Abstract

Abstract
The purpose of each ENCODE Functional Characterization Center is “to develop and
apply generalizable approaches to characterize the role of candidate functional
elements identified the ENCODE project in specific biological contexts”. Our proposed
Center will focus on characterization of candidate enhancer elements. We will develop,
refine and apply experimental methods for functional assays of enhancers. We will use
two very different biological models chosen for their high potential to act as
generalizable exemplars for the study of enhancers in the context of (i) inherited risk
factors for disease, and (ii) somatic mutations involved in cancers. We will also develop
and refine our experimental methods in ENCODE cell lines, and we will reserve 25% of
our efforts for testing candidate genomic elements that will be studied in common
across all of the ENCODE Functional Characterization Centers. Using STARR-seq, and
variations thereof, we will test for sufficiency of candidate enhancer elements to
modulate gene expression. Using CRISPR-Cas9 methods we will edit the human
genome, testing for necessity of candidate enhancer elements in their endogenous
context. We will utilize these methods to examine the effects of inherited DNA variation
on enhancer function in ENCODE cell lines, and to examine the effects of acquired
somatic DNA mutations on enhancer function in models of pancreatic cancer
(Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma – PDAC). While our approach necessarily requires
a bioinformatics component to utilize ENCODE and other existing data sets in order to
define the best candidate enhancer elements for testing in the specific biological models
we will assay, our Center will be focused on experimental characterization of
enhancers, testing different combinations of approaches in order to create extensible
and generalizable protocols for systematic and accurate characterization of enhancer
function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10238284
- **Project number:** 3UM1HG009426-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** TEMPUS LABS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Jennifer Robin Moran
- **Activity code:** UM1 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $382,708
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2019-11-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10238284

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10238284, Center for Functional Validation and Evaluation of ENCODE Enhancer regions, Grant Number 5UM1HG009426 (3UM1HG009426-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10238284. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*