Recent genetic advances have driven significant progress in scientists' abilities to classify and map neuronal cell types within the brains of mode organisms like laboratory mice. To better delineate neuronal cell types in the human brain, however, it is critical to have a deeper understanding of the way that neuronal cell types evolve across mammals. As a first step toward achieving this understanding, corresponding neuronal cell types will be directly compared in two closely related mammalian species: mice and rats. By closely examining differences in the properties of these cells, including the genes they express, we hope to identify genomic elements that control the properties of neuronal cell types, and to infer properties of the corresponding cell types in the human brain. Improving the precision with which we can classify human neuronal cell types could have a transformative impact on our ability to understand pathological changes in neuropsychiatric disease.

Public Health Relevance

Health Relevance Narrative Perturbations in the structure and function of neuronal cell types in the human brain can cause neuropsychiatric diseases, but our knowledge of these cell types is incomplete. In order to better understand the neuronal cell types that make up the human brain, it is necessary to understand the similarities and differences between corresponding cell types across different mammalian species. This project will study this problem for corresponding cell types in two closely related species: mice and rats.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
5U01MH105949-03
Application #
9107511
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1)
Program Officer
Beckel-Mitchener, Andrea C
Project Start
2014-09-26
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2016-06-01
Budget End
2017-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Brandeis University
Department
Biology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
616845814
City
Waltham
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
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