Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Division of Materials Research awarded a $300,000 Project Grant to The Johns Hopkins University, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049). This collaborative research initiative focuses on elucidating the structure and function of direct delivery peptides—a novel class of molecules capable of transporting cargo across cell membranes with greater efficiency than traditional cell-penetrating peptides. The research team will investigate how these peptides interact with lipid membranes and develop laboratory membrane systems that replicate natural cellular environments to characterize the mechanisms enabling direct membrane translocation without cargo entrapment.

The grant deliverables encompass fundamental scientific research outputs including peer-reviewed publications detailing the peptide-membrane interaction mechanisms, development of improved molecular design principles for cargo delivery systems, and educational outreach activities. The project supports workforce development through training of undergraduate and graduate students in interdisciplinary biomaterials and membrane science research. By identifying the structural and functional rules governing direct membrane penetration, this work advances the scientific foundation for designing more effective drug delivery molecules and therapeutic cargo transport systems.