The Homer Hack Research Small Grant Scheme
Successful grant recipients
The Homer Hack announces two successful grant recipients as part of the 2023 Homer Hack Small Research Grant SchemeCongratulations to Dr. Muhammad Javaid from the Department of Neuroscience Monash University Alfred Centre and Associate Professor Wah Chin Boon, BSc (Hons), from the The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health as the inaugral successful grantees.
Dr Mahammad Javaid will be exploring "drug screening using Homer1 patient’s iPSCs-derived neurons for clinical trials of precision medicine."
The main objective of this project will be to develop effective treatments for neurological conditions linked to the abnormal function of HOMER1. The discovery of new effective medicines requires pathophysiological-matched disease models, ideally those based on affected individuals. Patient-specific stem cell-derived in vitro neuronal models can adequately recapitulate the pathophysiological and pharmaco-responsive properties of the ‘Homer-brain’. The drugs that are found to restore normal function in these models will also be used as targeted precision medicines to treat the neuronal complications associated with Homer variants. The proposed outcomes will reveal the drug targets that can not only be targeted to restore normal neuronal function in Homer1 patients but may also be used to treat other neurological diseases involving anomalous calcium signalling and mutant scaffolding proteins. Furthermore, an FDA-approved drug will be identified to treat Homer1 complications in the index patient for “n of 1” clinical trial.
Associate Professor Wah Chin Boon will be exploring the "Inhibitory effects of prenatal exposure of plastics on Homer genes and a potential therapeutic reversal".
This project aims to investigate whether (1) Homer 1 gene expression is reduced by prenatal DEHP exposure; (2) Homer 1 gene is hypermethylated by prenatal DEHP exposure; and (3) Homer 1 gene expression can be restored by 10HDA treatment, using a mouse model. It will explore the possible epigenetic effects of this exposure refering to long-term modifications of gene expression without altering the basic structure of DNA or DNA sequences.
It has been proposed that neurodevelopmental disorders (including autism spectrum disorder) caused by man- made chemicals operating on key genes have created a silent modern pandemic. Epidemiological data indicates likely prenatal epigenetic programming of neurodevelopmental genes such as Homer 1 genes and other scaffolding genes that a prospective association between prenatal phthalate exposure and adverse neurodevelopment may exist. This project will increase knowledge on HOMER gene function and related therapeutic approaches down- regulated HOMER gene function.
It has been proposed that neurodevelopmental disorders (including autism spectrum disorder) caused by man- made chemicals operating on key genes have created a silent modern pandemic. Epidemiological data indicates likely prenatal epigenetic programming of neurodevelopmental genes such as Homer 1 genes and other scaffolding genes that a prospective association between prenatal phthalate exposure and adverse neurodevelopment may exist. This project will increase knowledge on HOMER gene function and related therapeutic approaches down- regulated HOMER gene function.
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