# Defining the cell type-specific role of miR-9-2 in telencephalon development

> **NIH NIH F32** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2022 · $69,802

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Dysregulation of gene networks during development can lead to organ malformation, dysfunction and disease,
especially neurological diseases such as schizophrenia, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, a more
comprehensive understanding of the gene regulatory networks that are active during development of the
central nervous system are needed to better understand disease etiology and treatment. The long-term goal of
this proposal is to define the role of the microRNA miR-9-2 in brain development, function and disease utilizing
in vivo knock-out mouse models. My preliminary data show that loss of miR-9-2 during development results in
severely malformed forebrains in mice in a gene dose-dependent manner. Based on this and previous studies,
I hypothesize that miR-9-2 is a critical regulator of gene networks that instruct neural progenitor proliferation,
differentiation and survival. Here, using a combination of transcriptomic, genomic and histological methods, I
will uncover the genes, genomic regulatory elements and cellular processes regulated by miR-9-2 during brain
development to define the specific role of this important microRNA. Additionally, I will uncover upstream
regulators of miR-9-2 expression by investigating the role of a deeply conserved cis-regulatory element, or
enhancer in modulating miR-9-2 expression during development. The proposed research is significant because
it will provide a comprehensive understanding of the gene networks, cell populations, and brain structures
under miR-9-2 regulation, give insight into the regulation of miR-9-2 expression and inform on the
consequences of miR-9-2 dysregulation that lead to neurological disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10507246
- **Project number:** 1F32NS127946-01
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Santiago P Fregoso
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $69,802
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-06 → 2025-09-05

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10507246

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10507246, Defining the cell type-specific role of miR-9-2 in telencephalon development (1F32NS127946-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10507246. Licensed CC0.

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