Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) awarded UC San Diego a Project Grant of $795,197 effective July 1, 2026, through May 31, 2030, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). The research project focuses on elucidating nuclear cell biology and epigenetic methylation mechanisms governing ligand-activated enhancers regulated by the endocrine system. The research will investigate how oxidized DNA methylation marks (5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine) function as epigenetic switches to pre-mark and prime enhancers for rapid activation in response to hormonal signals, with particular emphasis on validating this mechanism in endocrine cell development pathways such as PIT1 gene activation.

The project additionally examines the role of a novel subnuclear structure called the NEAT1-neospeckle in recruiting ligand-dependent transcription factors, such as the estrogen receptor, to enhance endocrine system function. This fundamental research aims to deliver transformative insights into unifying molecular mechanisms underlying signal and ligand-dependent enhancer activation through both in vivo and in vitro investigation, with potential therapeutic implications for endocrine-related diseases and disorders.