# MOLECULAR STUDIES OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

> **NIH NIH K11** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 1994 · $91,530

## Abstract

The research objective of this proposal is to use molecular techniques to
identify novel genes involved in activity-dependent plasticity in the
developing mammalian brain.  Activity-dependent plasticity is manifest in
a number of fundamental processes, including cortical development and
synaptogenesis, learning and memory, and in neuronal repair and
regeneration following injury.  To achieve this long-term goal, I have
formulated a training program that provides two years of didactic
instruction including graduate studies in developmental neurobiology and
molecular biology offered by the Departments of Neuroscience and Cellular
and Molecular Biology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.  These studies
will provide a firm scientific basis for laboratory investigations that
will be initiated in Phase I and be my primary focus in Phase II.

Research will be conducted in the laboratory of my primary sponsor, Dr.
Paul Worley.  Dr. Worley, in collaboration with Dr. Daniel Nathans has
developed a subtractive and differential cloning strategy using brain
tissue to identify a set of (-20) novel immediate early genes (IEGs).
Several clones demonstrate marked regulation during postnatal development
and are strongly induced by normal synaptic activity.  Because synaptic
activity plays a critical role in postnatal cortical development, these
genes may be important in this developmental process as well as other
plastic responses.  Precedent from analysis of fibroblast IEGs suggests
that these brain-derived genes may represent novel transcription factors,
growth factors, or cell surface molecules involved in cell-cell contacts.

This proposal seeks to characterize the protein products of one or more of
these neuronal IEGs.  Full-length CDNAS will be isolated and sequenced, and
the predicted protein sequence will be analyzed for homologies and known
functional motifs.  Antisera will be raised and the temporal and spatial
localization of these neuronal immediate-early proteins will be determined
by immunoblot and immunocytochemistry.  Functional studies will be
performed in order to identify the role these proteins play in the process
of neural plasticity.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 2194493
- **Project number:** 5K11HD000992-03
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **SAM.gov UEI:** FTMTDMBR29C7
- **Principal Investigator:** Katrin I. Andreasson
- **Activity code:** K11 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1994
- **Award amount:** $91,530
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1992-07-01 → 1997-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/2194493

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 2194493, MOLECULAR STUDIES OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT (5K11HD000992-03). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/2194493. Licensed CC0.

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