Genetic control of developmental timing

Summary

This project investigates how genetic regulatory networks, particularly microRNAs and other post-transcriptional regulators, control developmental timing and contribute to the robustness and stress resilience of animal development, using C. elegans and H. miamia as model organisms.

What they want

The research aims to advance mechanistic understanding of how microRNAs collaborate with other noncoding RNAs and RNA binding proteins (RBPs) to enable stress-robust specification of developmental cell fates. It will leverage C. elegans developmental timing for discovery and characterization of how microRNAs collaborate with other regulators to enable stress-robust heterochronic GRN functionality. Additionally, new research elements involve studying microRNAs in whole-body regeneration of the Acoel worm, Hofstenia miamia, to understand evolutionarily ancient functions of microRNAs in stress robustness.

Deliverables

Advance mechanistic understanding of microRNA collaboration with other noncoding RNAs and RBPs
Discovery and characterization of microRNA collaboration in C. elegans GRN functionality
New understanding of evolutionarily ancient functions of microRNAs in stress robustness from H. miamia studies

Technical requirements

Expertise in genetic regulatory networks (GRNs)
Research involving microRNAs and other post-transcriptional regulators
Work with Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model system
Work with Hofstenia miamia (H. miamia) model system
Analysis of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and transcription factors

Market context

inferred from NAICS

R&D in Physical, Engineering, Life Sciences (except Nanotech & Biotech)

NAICS 541715

US market size: $95B
Typical award: $100K – $50M+

Typical buyers

DoDNSFNIHNASADOE

Commonly required

DCAA-compliant accountingITARCMMC L2