The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $378,347 Project Grant to Yale University to investigate the molecular mechanisms that allow tardigrades, a type of microorganism, to survive extreme environmental stresses such as desiccation, temperature, radiation, and pressure. The research under this CFDA 47.074 Biological Sciences program award aims to develop a detailed physiochemical understanding of the structure and function of tardigrade disordered proteins, which are believed to play a key role in the organism's ability to rapidly adapt to environmental extremes. This 5-year project will use advanced optical imaging techniques to study tardigrade protein behavior in controlled test tube experiments as well as in living tardigrades, with the goal of uncovering the fundamental mechanisms that enable tardigrades to resist the effects of climate change. The project will also support the training of high school, undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate researchers on state-of-the-art instrumentation, helping to develop the next generation of climate scientists.
Generated 11/19/24, 4:13 AM