Federal Grant Award Summary

Weill Medical College of Cornell University received a $800,667 Project Grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242), awarded on March 10, 2026, with a completion date of December 31, 2030. This award funds research investigating transcriptional control mechanisms regulated by autism-associated H3K9 methylation regulators during human neurogenesis. The project combines targeted protein depletion techniques with directed differentiation protocols using human pluripotent stem cells to dissect the gene regulatory functions of the autism-associated chromatin repressor EHMT1 during human cortical neurogenesis.

The research deliverables include comprehensive characterization of molecular alterations caused by EHMT1 deficiency throughout neurogenesis development, identification of stage-specific target genes and their responsiveness to restored EHMT1 levels, and systematic analysis of how EHMT1 interacts with candidate recruiters and co-factors to regulate gene expression at distinct stages of cortical neurogenesis. Additionally, the project will expand these investigative approaches to dissect functional interactions among multiple autism-associated H3K9 methylation regulators during human neurogenesis. These research activities are designed to advance understanding of neurodevelopmental disease mechanisms and inform the development of therapeutic interventions for autism spectrum disorder and related conditions.