# Regulation of Retinal Neurogenesis by Foxp1

> **NIH NIH R01** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2024 · $586,269

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY:
Normal retinal function and vision depends upon generation of multiple classes of retinal cells during
development. A central challenge is to define molecular mechanisms that enable a diversity of neurons and
glia to be generated from progenitors in correct proportions during development. Prior studies have shown that
progenitors undergo changes in competence to generate retinal cell types, but knowledge is incomplete
regarding factors that function to regulate temporal patterning of progenitors to drive changes in competence.
We thus hypothesize that Foxp1 functions as an early temporal transcription factor, and that temporally
regulated Foxp1 gene expression governs the formation of retinal cell types generated during early retinal
development, such as retinal ganglion cells, horizontal cells, cone photoreceptors and early-born amacrine
cells. To test this in developing mouse retina, we will use genetic approaches to achieve loss or gain of Foxp1
to: 1) Define Foxp1 targets and changes in chromatin accessibility, 2) Determine whether Foxp1 can reactivate
competence to generate early-born retinal cell types in late RPCs, and 3) Determine whether Dicer regulates
regulates temporal expression of Foxp1. This study will provide mechanistic insight into how Foxp1 functions in
progenitors to regulate the genesis of early-born retinal neurons, and may facilitate strategies to generate early
retinal cell types lost to disease or injury, such as retinal ganglion cells and cones.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10803341
- **Project number:** 1R01EY035158-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Monica L Vetter
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $586,269
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-12-01 → 2028-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10803341

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10803341, Regulation of Retinal Neurogenesis by Foxp1 (1R01EY035158-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-29 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10803341. Licensed CC0.

---

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