Project funding for MacART member Karun Singh

Congratulations to MacART member Dr. Karun Singh, professor in McMaster University’s Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, scientist at the McMaster Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Research Institute, and holder of the David Braley Chair in Human Stem Cell Research.  Dr. Singh has received two project grants.  One project, “Understanding and treating neurological phenotypes in the 15q13.3 microdeletion syndrome,” aims to better understand how risk genes cause abnormal brain development. A strong genetic risk factor is where individuals are missing a piece of chromosome 15 (a microdeletion), and can have autism, schizophrenia, epilepsy or developmental delay. This study will use various models (mouse models, human and mouse brain imaging, cultured human brain cells, genetic sequencing and bioinformatics) to study this microdeletion.  The other project, “Understanding the function of DIXDC1 in normal and abnormal brain development,” is exploring a new molecule named Dix domain containing 1 (DIXDC1) to determine its role in signaling pathways in the brain.  The experiments will provide new information to help understand normal brain connections and how disrupting these pathways can cause ASD-like pathologies.

Scroll to Top