Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) awarded a $249,000 Project Grant to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2029, under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865). The research investigates input-output relationships in developmental bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways to elucidate how cells generate diverse yet specific responses to conserved signaling inputs during embryonic development. The project employs quantitative imaging techniques, classical genetics, and biochemical approaches to determine how chromatin context informs signaling response interpretation, with particular focus on the transcription factor ZEN and its role in facilitating rapid transcriptional responses at BMP target genes using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and live imaging analyses.

The research further examines how combinatorial positional information shapes BMP-dependent transcriptional responses during dorsal patterning by analyzing the influence of anterior-posterior patterning systems on BMP target gene expression. Through genetic perturbations and quantitative live imaging of developing embryos, the investigator will determine how multiple transcription factor inputs regulate the timing, precision, and spatial interpretation of BMP target gene activation in vivo. These findings are intended to advance understanding of conserved signaling pathways governing cell fate decisions critical to embryonic development, tissue maintenance, and disease progression across multiple species.