# High efficient AAV-transducible transgenic quails

> **NIH NIH R21** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $237,869

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
The main goal of this research proposal is to generate a transgenic quail line that ubiquitously expresses the
human receptor for adeno-associated virus (AAV). Quails and chickens cannot be efficiently transduced with
AAV, which precludes the use of this class of popular viruses in these animals. Expressing the AAV receptor
in avian cells, however, significantly increases the transduction efficacy for AAV. The first aim of the proposed
research is to generate a transgenic quail line that can be tested for efficient virus transduction of the inner
ear in vivo, which is the goal of aim two of the proposal. The final aim is to demonstrate that the newly
generated transgenic AAV receptor-expressing quail line can be used for AAV-mediated CRISPR-Cas9
genome editing in the inner ear. The successful completion of this research project will provide a new animal
model for studying avian hair cell regeneration through gene manipulation in vivo. Inner ear sensory hair cells
do not naturally regenerate in mammals but they do in birds, which emphasizes the importance of conducting
genetic manipulations in birds. Knowledge gained with this new experimental model system, such as the
significance of specific signaling pathways and key genes during avian hair cell regeneration, shall be
translatable to mammals, and ultimately can provide insight into curative treatments for sensorineural hearing
loss.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10285996
- **Project number:** 1R21DC019706-01
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Stefan Heller
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $237,869
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-06 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10285996

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10285996, High efficient AAV-transducible transgenic quails (1R21DC019706-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10285996. Licensed CC0.

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