# Sequencing Coordination and Data Analysis Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA · 2024 · $402,777

## Abstract

CORE B PROJECT SUMMARY
One of the most significant challenges for understanding genetic control of blood pressure (BP) is that the vast
majority of BP-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in humans are located in noncoding
regions of DNA. The major objective of this PPG is to understand the functional relevance of BP-associated
noncoding SNPs in specific BP relevant cell types using epigenomics and genome editing. A key approach that
all three projects of this PPG have adopted to accomplish this objective is the application of next-generation
sequencing (NGS) technologies. These include RNA-seq (to analyze mRNA and lncRNA profiles), small
noncoding RNA-seq (i.e., sncRNA-seq, to analyze microRNA profiles), RRBS (to measure DNA methylation
patterns), ATAC-seq (to determine chromatin accessibility), CUT&Tag (to detect DNA-protein interactions) and
Hi-C (to uncover chromatin interactions). The goal of Core B is to provide the highly specialized expertise
required for these analyses. Over five years, three projects of this PPG will analyze 725 RNA-seq, 20 sncRNA-
seq, 65 RRBS, 20 Hi-C, 155 CUT&Tag and 65 ATAC-seq libraries. Sample and library preparation will be
carried out by the staff of individual projects. Cluster generation and sequencing will be performed by the well-
established MCW Sequencing Service Center via fee-for-service. The role of Core B is coordinating
sequencing activities to improve efficiencies and performing the vast majority of the data analysis including the
processing and mapping of the sequence reads, identification and quantification of transcripts or CpG regions,
calling peaks of DNA-protein interaction, chromatin interaction and accessibility, integrative analysis of omics
data and downstream analysis (e.g., gene ontology and biological pathways). The Core therefore has two
specific aims. Aim 1 is to coordinate the multiplexing and submission of NGS libraries for sequencing. Aim 2 is
to analyze and manage sequencing data for all three projects. Core B Director P. Liu, Co-Investigator M. Liang
and Y. Liu were founding members of an interest group initiated by Dr. Liang in 2010 and involving 12
laboratories from seven departments at MCW that adopted NGS technologies to analyze RNA and later RRBS
and other NGS applications at MCW. The wet lab and dry lab pipeline established as a result of this effort has
been used in > 20 publications. Importantly, this group has published some of the first studies of mRNA,
lncRNA, miRNA, DNA methylation and chromatin conformation in hypertension research that utilized RNA-seq,
sncRNA-seq, RRBS and chromatin conformation capture. Therefore, Core B has the experience and the highly
specialized expertise to ensure the success of these omics data analyses that are critical components of the
three projects.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10903750
- **Project number:** 5P01HL149620-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
- **Principal Investigator:** Pengyuan Liu
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $402,777
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-08-15 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10903750

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10903750, Sequencing Coordination and Data Analysis Core (5P01HL149620-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10903750. Licensed CC0.

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