Project Grant K99HD115781

This federal Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), is focused on dissecting the input-output relationships of developmental BMP signaling. The $104,838 award to Duke University will support research that aims to shed light on how cells perceive and respond to varying BMP signaling inputs, with the goal of uncovering fundamental principles of cell signaling that can advance developmental biology and translational applications. The proposed multi-faceted research approach includes developing a predictive model for BMP target gene transcription, examining crosstalk between BMP and EGFR/ERK signaling, and expanding the research scope to the red flour beetle to elucidate how the conserved BMP signaling pathway adapts and functions across species. This 2-year project, commencing on Aug 1, 2024, will leverage cutting-edge quantitative live imaging techniques, mathematical modeling, and tools for studying BMP signaling in diverse insect species to achieve these research objectives.