This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant, awarded under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041), provides $357,033 to North Dakota State University (NDSU) from August 15, 2023 to July 31, 2026 to support research on protein manipulation and engineering using an electronic biochemical approach. The project aims to develop a single-molecule manipulation technique to study the dynamics of protein-protein interactions, which is critical for understanding the causes of diseases related to...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a 5-year, $480,730 CAREER grant under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to Tufts University to evaluate the impact of modifying antibodies with unique amino acids on the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. The goal is to establish principles of "chemically diversified" antibodies that enable next-generation protease inhibitor discovery. The project will integrate noncanonical amino acids and yeast display technology...
This $273,598 federal Project Grant award was provided by the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Chemistry under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program. The award will fund research conducted by Professor Borotto's group at the University of Nevada, Reno to characterize the processes driving gas-phase protein folding. This will involve developing a novel laser-based technique to assess rapid protein folding pathways. Additionally, the project will partner...
This $300,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Integrative Activities program (CFDA 47.083) supports the development and experimental validation of computational tools for simulation-guided design of DNA nanostructures and molecular systems. The research goal is to integrate high-level kinetic models with low-level molecular dynamics models to create novel multiscale modeling frameworks for DNA nanotechnology. The project will also parameterize coarse-grained...
This $325,044 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports research to develop a new "aerodynamic fiber deposition" technology to manufacture biomimetic soft fiber-reinforced composites with spatially varying fiber arrangements. The research aims to enable the production of high-throughput, highly controlled nano/microfiber patterns that mimic the complex fiber structures found in biological tissues like skin, muscle, and...
The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $600,000 Project Grant under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to the Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia (UVA). The 5-year award, effective February 1, 2025, will support the development of innovative, biology-inspired adsorptive separation materials using peptides to purify new protein-based therapeutic medicines from contaminants. This research aims to advance the molecular understanding of protein adsorption onto...
This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports basic research to uncover the mechanisms by which mechanical forces at the protein level regulate cell mechanics and direct tissue-scale behaviors. The $616,151 award, with a project period from September 1, 2024 to August 31, 2027, will fund an interdisciplinary study leveraging molecular biology, bioengineering, materials science, and computational approaches. The research will...
This $1,500,000 Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program will support research at Northwestern University to develop innovative protein-based biomaterials. The research aims to (1) engineer mussel foot proteins with superior underwater adhesive properties compared to wild-type sequences, and (2) create resilin-inspired bioelastomers with high strength while retaining natural mechanical resilience. The proposed...
This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) supports research studying living tissues as new types of adaptive materials. The $285,570 award, effective Sep 1, 2025 through Aug 31, 2030, will investigate how cellular adaptability influences the mechanical behavior of tissues. The research aims to create a link between cellular biology and material properties, providing insights into disease treatment and inspiring the design of new...
The University of California, Merced received a $750,000 National Science Foundation Project Grant under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to support research titled "UNDERSTANDING THE DEFORMABILITY OF BIOLOGICAL FILAMENTS FROM THEIR ATOMISTIC LEVEL DETAILS" from January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2026. The grant will fund research examining the deformability of biological filaments through analysis of their atomic structure to gain a deeper understanding of their material...