This National Science Foundation (NSF) Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) Project Grant award of $1,174,440 supports collaborative research to identify the shared genetic and cellular mechanisms that enable vertebrate limb and fin regeneration. The project team, led by Louisiana State University (LSU), is using a comparative approach across multiple animal models - including salamanders, lungfish, and Polypterus fish - to uncover a "toolkit" of key elements needed for regeneration.
The key objectives are to: 1) determine if rapid activation of the mTOR signaling pathway is a conserved feature of limb and fin regeneration; 2) integrate transcriptomic datasets to identify shared genetic and cellular programs for appendage regeneration; and 3) use epigenetic profiling to reveal common gene regulatory networks and test the hypothesis that loss of regenerative capacity is linked to changes in tissue regeneration enhancers. This award will train researchers at multiple academic levels and provide STEM research opportunities for underrepresented middle school students. The project period runs from October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2028.
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