Sheng Chih (Peter) Jin, an assistant professor of genetics at WashU Medicine, has received a $3.2 million grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the genetic and molecular underpinnings of congenital hydrocephalus, a buildup of too much cerebrospinal fluid in the brain at birth.
The condition increases pressure in a newborn's brain and can cause brain injury. The primary treatment is a surgery called cerebrospinal fluid shunting, but it has a high failure rate and often results in complications. Many patients continue to experience poor neurodevelopmental outcomes despite treatment, indicating that the condition is not yet fully understood.
In an effort to identify causes, the funding will allow Jin to enroll research participants with primary congenital hydrocephalus, with an emphasis on those from diverse backgrounds who have been underrepresented in past research on the condition. Using cutting-edge tools of genomics, proteomics and neuroimaging, among others, Jin and his lab members will thoroughly characterize the condition at the cellular and molecular level, with the goal of improving diagnosis and management of the disease.
