# Wnt Signaling and Vertebrate embryogenesis

> **NIH NIH R35** · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · 2020 · $835,056

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The Wnt family of secreted signaling proteins governs embryogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Deregulated
Wnt signaling has been implicated in human diseases including birth defects, cancer, and degenerative
disorders. Investigation of the mechanism of Wnt signaling has critical significance for developmental and
cancer biology and human health, and will uncover new avenues for disease treatment. Over the last two
decades, research in my lab has elucidated many key aspects of the Wnt pathway, including the Wnt receptor
complex and various molecules and mechanisms that regulate the complex assembly and downstream
signaling, and the mechanism by which the Wnt pathway regulates embryonic patterning and cell polarity in
Xenopus embryos.
In this application I plan to address fundamental questions on the mechanism of Wnt signaling and its role in
vertebrate early embryogenesis by employing genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screening, proteomic and
transcriptomic analyses in combination with classical biochemical and embryological approaches.
I believe that experiments outlined in this application will significantly enhance our understanding of Wnt
signaling and early vertebrate embryogenesis, and have broad impact to developmental and cancer/disease
biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9851709
- **Project number:** 1R35GM134953-01
- **Recipient organization:** BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Xi He
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $835,056
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-01-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9851709

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9851709, Wnt Signaling and Vertebrate embryogenesis (1R35GM134953-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9851709. Licensed CC0.

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