Use of CRISPR/Cas9 as genomic investigation tools in the context of neural development

• Grant number: 15/01133-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2015
• End date: June 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Embryology
• Principal Investigator: Chao Yun Irene Yan
• Grantee: Thiago Missfeldt Sanches
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The neural development during embryogenesis is a gradual and complex process, which requires specific sequential steps from the cease of progenitors proliferation to terminal differentiation into neuronal subtypes. The complexity of this process is exposed through a vast number of neuronal subtypes in the adult organism. By this time, very little is known about the genes involved in neuronal differentiation. This project's purpose is to develop a novel technic of genomic manipulation as a method to ascertain the functional relevance of possible genes related to vertebrate neural embryogenesis. To this end, we will be using the CRISPR/CAS9 technology. The usage of this technique in neural development context has several advantages ranging from the analysis of several genes at the same time to the understanding of long-term effects of reducing expression, since it is permanent. (AU)