Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded a Project Grant of $124,929 to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859). This award funds fundamental research investigating how epithelial tissue architecture regulates leukocyte migration strategies in vivo. The research employs intravital imaging in zebrafish models to characterize how cellular confinement within epithelial layers drives mechanosensitive signaling and distinct migration modes, including stable bleb migration and head-to-tail collective leukocyte streaming. The project incorporates optical metabolic imaging to elucidate the bioenergetic requirements of bleb-based motility and utilizes zebrafish mutants with altered epithelial confinement and disrupted PIEZO1 mechanosensitive ion channel function to establish mechanistic connections between tissue architecture and cell migration behavior.

The research addresses fundamental gaps in cell migration biology with direct relevance to wound healing, immune defense, and understanding dysregulated migration in inflammatory disorders and cancer metastasis. As a K99/R00 Transition Award structure, the project advances early-stage investigator research through structured progression from foundational mechanistic studies to independent investigation of novel collective migration phenomena. The deliverables include peer-reviewed publications, experimental datasets characterizing leukocyte migration dynamics in confined epithelial environments, and mechanistic insights into how tissue geometry and mechanotransduction regulate cellular behavior in vivo.