Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Chicago received a $735,782 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), effective July 10, 2026, with a completion date of June 30, 2031. This award supports research into chromatin regulation through RNA demethylation in environmental stress response, with a focus on how N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications on messenger RNA and chromatin-associated regulatory RNAs affect gene expression and cellular responses to environmental stressors such as arsenic exposure and ultraviolet radiation. The research builds on the principal investigator's prior discoveries of m6A RNA demethylases (FTO and ALKBH1) and their role in mediating RNA demethylation processes that influence cellular homeostasis, DNA damage response, and tumorigenesis.

The project deliverables include mechanistic research identifying specific chromatin-associated regulatory RNAs and their m6A methylation sites affected by the FTO demethylase enzyme, as well as investigation of underlying regulatory pathways that contribute to stress response and tumorigenesis in keratinocyte cells exposed to environmental toxins. This research aligns with NIEHS's mission to understand how environmental exposures affect biological systems across the lifespan and to translate knowledge toward reducing disease and promoting human health. The work addresses fundamental biological mechanisms underlying environmental health threats while potentially advancing understanding of gene-environment interactions relevant to cancer prevention and environmental toxicology.