Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded a Project Grant totaling $124,956 to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859). This award funds research to systematically define and dissect nascent RNA fluxes across nuclear condensates through development of novel methodologies and imaging approaches. The project delivers three primary research products: (1) APEX-EU-SEQ, a novel methodology integrating proximity-based biotinylation and metabolic RNA labeling to profile condensate-associated nascent RNA fluxes over time at transcriptome-wide resolution using the nucleolus as a model system; (2) single-molecule imaging combined with structured illumination microscopy (SMI-SIM) to visualize flux dynamics of individual RNA molecules within mesoscale condensate substructures; and (3) a multi-condensate atlas of RNA fluxes with defined regulatory principles governing these fluxes across multiple nuclear condensate types.

These research outputs address methodological gaps in understanding RNA dynamics by combining temporal-spatial precision at both transcriptome-wide and single-molecule resolution. The research is designed to advance fundamental understanding of nuclear RNA metabolism and support the NIGMS mission of advancing biomedical knowledge that lays the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.