# Intrinsic and Extrinsic factors regulating neurogenic competence in hypothalamic tanycytes

> **NIH NIH F99** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $49,974

## Abstract

Hypothalamic tanycytes have limited postnatal neurogenic competence, but the extrinsic and intrinsic
factors that promote this are not well understood. My predoctoral research identified a defined developmental
window during which neurogenic competence is lost from hypothalamic tanycytes. I have also identified the
neurogenic bHLH transcription factor Ascl1 as a candidate activator of neurogenic competence in tanycytes
and identified Shh signaling as potentially promoting the survival of tanycyte-derived neurons. In the F99 phase
of this award, I will investigate whether AAV-mediated overexpression of Ascl1 induces neurogenic
competence and whether Shh signaling promotes the survival of tanycyte-derived neurons using cell-specific
conditional genetic approaches. During the K00 phase, I will pursue postdoctoral training using zebrafish as a
model to identify gene regulatory networks controlling injury-induced hypothalamic neural regeneration,
identifying yet uncharacterized extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms that regulate neurogenic competence in
tanycyte-like radial glial cells. By comparing these findings to data obtained from mammalian tanycytes, I plan
to identify both positive and negative regulators of neurogenic competence that could be manipulated to induce
the tanycyte-derived generation of specific hypothalamic neuronal cell types for treatment of metabolic and
other homeostatic disorders. These opportunities will advance my career as a neuroscientist and prepare me
for a principal investigator role at an R1 institution studying tanycyte biology and hypothalamic regeneration.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10929516
- **Project number:** 5F99NS135816-02
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Leighton Hosea Duncan
- **Activity code:** F99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $49,974
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-09-14 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10929516

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10929516, Intrinsic and Extrinsic factors regulating neurogenic competence in hypothalamic tanycytes (5F99NS135816-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10929516. Licensed CC0.

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