This National Science Foundation (NSF) Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) Project Grant, awarded to Georgia Tech Research Corporation in the amount of $133,324, supports research investigating the role of kin recognition in the evolution of aggregative multicellularity.
The key objectives of this research project are to: 1) identify the molecular mechanisms underlying kin recognition in flocculating yeast cells, and 2) assess the specificity of this recognition system by testing whether independently evolved yeast strains can distinguish between different genetic lineages. The research will utilize confocal microscopy to analyze the three-dimensional arrangement of cells within yeast groups and determine if cells preferentially recognize and bind to genetically related cells. This work is expected to provide insights into how micro-scale cellular interactions enable the transition from genetically diverse cellular aggregates to true multicellular organisms. The project will also support broadening participation in STEM fields by mentoring a female postdoctoral researcher from a low-income background and providing research experiences for undergraduate women.
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