# Unraveling stem cell behaviors upon injury to the brain

> **NIH NIH K99** · SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH · 2020 · $94,068

## Abstract

Candidate: My overarching goal is to understand the molecular mechanism that regulate
self-renewal and differentiation of neural stem cell during homeostasis, regeneration and in neoplasms. To
achieve this goal, I am pursuing a career in stem cell biology, focusing on the brain. My graduate work focused
on characterizing molecularly distinct stem cell populations in patient-derived brain tumors and understanding
their roles in tumorigenesis. In order to gain in depth experience on studying how stem cell behaviors are
regulated in vivo, I chose to join Dr. Alexandra Joyner’s laboratory to study developmental neurobiology and
regeneration. Here, I study the function of stem cells during repair of the developing and adult cerebellum. The
main purpose of this grant is to provide the skills and knowledge that I need to build my own independent
research program. Environment: Dr. Joyner’s lab provides a stimulating environment for me to gain research
and mentoring skills to launch my career as an independent investigator. Under her mentorship and with the
help of my colleagues along with the supportive institutional environment, I will learn the most sophisticated
mouse models and developmental biology techniques that are crucial to study stem cells in vivo. In addition to
Dr. Joyner, my advisors and collaborators will provide necessary training in genomics/epigenomics approaches
to supplement my required knowledge and training in order to establish a multidisciplinary research program.
Research: Regeneration in the brain is limited. I submit that an understanding of the gene regulatory networks
that regulate the plasticity of neural stem/progenitor populations and their ability to self-renew and differentiate
is crucial for discovering how to stimulate the regenerative potential of the brain. Our lab recently discovered that
the neonatal cerebellum has a surprisingly high regenerative potential as it can recover from ablation of at least
two types of neurons, making it an excellent system to uncover molecular events required for successful
regeneration. Upon depletion of granule cell precursors, a subpopulation of Nestin-expressing progenitors
(NEPs) change their fate from glia to produce excitatory granule neurons in a Hedgehog (HH)-dependent
manner. Furthermore, I found that rare NEP-like cells exist in the adult cerebellum, and HH signaling and injury
synergize to expand the population. However, their regenerative yield is limited. The aim of this proposal is to
identify the signaling pathways and gene regulatory networks that control the regenerative response of NEPs to
injury in the newborn cerebellum and determine how it differs in the adult. I will combine mouse genetics and
injury models with whole genome transcriptomic/epigenomic analyses to dissect and compare the gene
expression profiles of individual NEPs in the normal and injured newborn and adult cerebellum. In vitro and in
vivo stem cells assays will then identify signaling pathways that...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9977283
- **Project number:** 5K99NS112605-02
- **Recipient organization:** SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH
- **Principal Investigator:** Nermin Sumru Bayin
- **Activity code:** K99 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $94,068
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9977283

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9977283, Unraveling stem cell behaviors upon injury to the brain (5K99NS112605-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9977283. Licensed CC0.

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