# Control of retinal cell fate specification by the miR9-2 disease gene locus

> **NIH NIH F31** · SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2024 · $44,168

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
The development of a functional central nervous system is dependent upon the proper specification of distinct
cell fates by multipotent progenitor cells. While the role of protein-coding genes in this process is well studied,
there is a pressing need to understand how non-coding elements, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and
enhancers, contribute to cell fate decisions as a growing number of studies implicate non-coding genomic
elements in disease. The long term goal of this project is to elucidate how the microRNA, miR9-2 regulates the
timing of cell fate specification during retinal development. miR9-2, along with its distal enhancer, has been
linked to retinal disease and associated phenotypes, and disruption of miR9-2, through deletion of its
enhancer, can delay the emergence of late-born cell classes. Therefore, the hypothesis of this proposal is that
miR9-2, in coordination with its enhancer, regulates specific target transcripts in progenitor cells to control the
timing of neurogenesis during retinal development. Here, using in vivo mouse models, single-cell sequencing,
and machine-learning directed enhancer bashing approaches, this proposal will dissect the functional role of
miR9-2 and its enhancer to understand the regulatory role they play in proper specification of retinal cell
classes. The proposed research is significant, because it will provide a comprehensive understanding of the
enhancer-miR9-2 regulatory unit and the gene networks, cell classes, and retinal structures under its control.
This will further provide an opportunity to model the mechanisms of action by which non-coding elements
influence the development and diseases of the central nervous system and may lead to gene targets and
pathways with therapeutic potential.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10995184
- **Project number:** 1F31EY035932-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** SEATTLE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Katelyn Ning LuLu Callies
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $44,168
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10995184

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10995184, Control of retinal cell fate specification by the miR9-2 disease gene locus (1F31EY035932-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10995184. Licensed CC0.

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