Federal Grant Award Summary

Seattle Children's Research Institute received a $724,950 Project Grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847), awarded on May 15, 2026, with a completion date of March 31, 2030. The award funds research aimed at understanding and selectively disrupting H3K9me3 heterochromatin to improve the function of human induced hepatocytes (hiHeps) reprogrammed from human fibroblasts. The research will investigate the mechanisms by which the human enhancer of rudimentary homolog (ERH) protein regulates histone methyltransferase recruitment and H3K9me3 maintenance, with the goal of developing improved cell reprogramming techniques that could enable generation of patient-matched hepatic tissue for transplantation without immunosuppression.

The research deliverables include scientific advancement in chromatin biology and cellular reprogramming methodology, with potential translational applications for regenerative medicine and liver disease treatment. By elucidating ERH-dependent H3K9me3 mechanisms and developing strategies to selectively disrupt heterochromatin domains, the project will contribute to improving hiHep functionality and advancing the understanding of epigenetic factors in cellular lineage specification—outcomes aligned with NIDDK's mission to support biomedical research that improves prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of digestive and metabolic diseases.