# Genetic Technology Fabrication and Development Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2020 · $46,567

## Abstract

Core B Project Leader: Van Vactor, David L.
Project Summary / Abstract
This program will rely on an innovative and growing resource of transgenic tools for in vivo analysis of
microRNA (miR) function and activity. We have produced a partial collection of transgenic miR-SPonge (miR-
SP) strains that are designed expressly to address the challenge of defining the cellular and developmental
specificity of miR function within complex neural circuits and tissues with many constituent cell types.
Preliminary data show that these tools are effective, however, accumulated data also show that many new
sponge strains are needed to make this resource more comprehensive. Recent availability of many miR
deletion alleles and UAS-miR mimic strains provides an important complement to our miR-SP resource,
however, many new and selective null mutations are needed for a thorough and specific analysis of miR
functions identified in our unpublished screens. In addition, informatics and expression analysis identifies
promising target gene candidates that may define underlying downstream mechanisms for miRs that we find
required in multiple neural circuits, however, new sensor reagents will be required to validate these and study
their regulation in vivo. Core B will make and quality control these three types of reagents before they are
distributed to our collaborators and the community by Core A.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9910458
- **Project number:** 5P01NS090994-05
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** David L. Van Vactor
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $46,567
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9910458

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9910458, Genetic Technology Fabrication and Development Core (5P01NS090994-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-14 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9910458. Licensed CC0.

---

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