NIH Blueprint Initiative: Tools for Germline Gene Editing in the Nervous System

The NIH Blueprint (a consortium of NIH Institutes that support neuroscience research) seeks to advance its mission by supporting the development, optimization, validation, and application of germline and somatic transgenic and gene-editing approaches in experimental systems modeling key features of human brain anatomy, circuitry, cognition, behavior, and lifespan. This initiative will build on the previously supported marmoset gene-editing infrastructure, by integrating New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) with other models, to advance understanding of human brain function and disease, including human-derived NAMs for cross-species comparisons across development. Many mechanisms of complex conditions, such as autism spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, and other behavioral/developmental disorders, cannot yet be captured in NAMs and are therefore high priorities for research investment to accelerate development and validation of human-derived NAMs. Appropriate models should be used and clearly justified as necessary for questions involving neuroanatomy, circuit function, cognition, behavior, or lifespan phenotyping related to human brain disease and function. Grant authorities are as follows: 42 U.S.C 241 and 284.