# A novel platform to enhance single cell interrogation of nervous system development

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME · 2022 · $195,625

## Abstract

Project Summary
During development, the vast majority of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is generated from neural crest
cells that migrate extensively into the embryo and give rise to the sympathetic, parasympathetic, sensory and
enteric nervous systems. Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) function is tightly linked to heart rate, blood
pressure and temperature control. During development the sympathetic ganglia (SG) must move and interact
with axons that project from preganglionic neurons (PGNs) in the ventral spinal cord to wire the circuit between
the central nervous system (CNS) and PNS. Tissue repair or regeneration therapies for birth defective or
damaged neural connections between the CNS and SNS offer a potential therapeutic strategy, however, will
require the molecular signature of PGN and SG cell populations prior to clinical translation. Furthermore, one
clinically significant example of mistakes in SNS development is neuroblastoma cancer in infants. Here, we
explore an innovative strategy of novel spatial transcriptomics approaches, integrated multiplexed RNA/protein
detection and visualization, and computational algorithms to uniquely identify and map molecular markers of the
PGN and SG progenitor cell populations to the tissue architecture of the chick trunk anatomy. If successful, this
novel platform will provide a transformative foundation for basic research of peripheral nervous system birth
defects and repair using stem cell-based therapies, and future studies of neuroblastoma initiation.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10757179
- **Project number:** 7R21HD106033-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME
- **Principal Investigator:** PAUL KULESA
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $195,625
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2022-12-23 → 2024-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10757179

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10757179, A novel platform to enhance single cell interrogation of nervous system development (7R21HD106033-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10757179. Licensed CC0.

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