# A Molecular and Cellular Atlas of the Marmoset Brain

> **NIH NIH U01** · MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2020 · $1,364,574

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 The complexity of the mammalian brain is unparalleled by any other organ, and understanding its
cellular composition is essential to understand how it gives rise to cognition and behavior. It is clear that brain
contains many more cell types than have been described to date. Many cell types can now be distinguished by
their patterns of gene expression, and knowledge of these patterns can provide genetic access to specific
populations of neurons. The ability to manipulate and measure activity in genetically defined cell types and
circuits will allow us to move from a static anatomical description to a dynamic understanding of brain function.
 Although genetic tools have dramatically advanced our understanding of brain function, they have
largely been confined to mice. While mice are essential models for many areas of neuroscience, there are also
many aspects of higher brain function that cannot be adequately modeled in rodents. Similarly, many brain
disorders affect higher cognitive functions that have no clear parallels in rodents. There is thus an urgent need
for new genetic models that are phylogenetically closer to humans.
 A promising emerging primate model is the common marmoset, a small new world primate that has
many advantages for neuroscience and genetic research. In the past three years, we have established a large
marmoset colony and a genetic engineering platform at MIT to generate marmoset genetic models for various
brain disorders. We have successfully demonstrated efficient gene knockout and knockin techniques in
marmoset embryos. We have also generated and assembled high quality marmoset genome sequence. In
addition, we are developing hardware and software for automated behavioral analysis as well as
electrophysiological recording and multi-photon imaging approaches. Our goal is to make this a national
technology and resource center for using marmosets to study brain function and dysfunction. Here propose to
add another important dataset to this potentially transformative model—using single cell RNAseq to
systematically define cell types, their location and morphology. These data will be critical for generating cell
type-specific genetic tools as well as for monitoring and manipulating circuit activity in a cell type-specific
manner, key approaches to understand brain function and dysfunction.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9934014
- **Project number:** 5U01MH114819-04
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Guoping Feng
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,364,574
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-09-20 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9934014

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9934014, A Molecular and Cellular Atlas of the Marmoset Brain (5U01MH114819-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9934014. Licensed CC0.

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