Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Iowa received a $500,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074), awarded June 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for May 31, 2028. This award supports fundamental research investigating the form-specific functions and regulation of nuclear actin within the nucleolus across model organisms from yeast to humans. The research will employ Drosophila as a genetic system to define how different structural forms of actin—monomers, polymers, filaments, and filament networks—regulate ribosomal RNA (rRNA) synthesis and RNA Polymerase I activity, thereby controlling nucleolar function and ribosome biogenesis. Understanding these mechanisms will provide insights into normal cellular development and function while illuminating how actin misregulation contributes to disease pathology.

In addition to generating peer-reviewed research outputs and scientific data, the project includes an educational and workforce development component designed to train the next generation of biologists. This will be accomplished through the development of undergraduate laboratory course modules that integrate the research findings into classroom instruction and through direct mentoring of research trainees in the laboratory setting. The research takes place at the University of Iowa's Iowa City campus and will contribute to the National Science Foundation's broader mission to strengthen the nation's scientific enterprise and advance understanding of fundamental biological systems.