Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Michigan State University received a $411,725 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), awarded July 1, 2026, with completion targeted for June 30, 2029. This collaborative research project investigates the biochemical mechanisms underlying honest signaling in bird plumage coloration, specifically examining how red carotenoid-based pigmentation serves as a reliable indicator of individual health and cellular vitality. The research integrates organismal biology, cell biology, and biochemistry to elucidate the fundamental relationship between pigment production and core cellular processes including redox balance, thereby advancing understanding of how biological signals convey information about health and reproductive potential.

The award deliverables include basic research findings on the mechanistic links between carotenoid coloration and cellular health processes, with broader applications to evolutionary biology, medicine, agriculture, and conservation. The project incorporates significant workforce development and education components through training of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers in interdisciplinary research bridging molecular and organismal biology. Additionally, the grant supports K-12 outreach activities demonstrating scientific hypothesis testing methods to students and families, and utilizes engineered cell lines via biotechnological approaches to test key research hypotheses, thereby strengthening the national scientific enterprise in STEM fields.