Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Vanderbilt University received a $342,570 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), awarded June 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2030. The award supports fundamental research examining ubiquitin-mediated regulation of DNA repair pathway selection at persistent double-strand breaks in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The research specifically investigates sites of repair-associated telomere addition (SIRTAs)—genomic sequences that undergo de novo telomere addition at elevated frequency—and the role of the ubiquitin protease UBP10 in preventing chromosome rearrangements, non-reciprocal translocations, and deletions that result from incorrect repair of these particularly hazardous sequences.

The research addresses fundamental mechanisms underlying genome stability and has direct relevance to human health, as similar de novo telomere addition occurs in multiple human diseases and can lead to mutations, cancer, or inherited disease. By clarifying how cells regulate repair pathway choice at these problematic sequences, the findings are expected to establish foundational knowledge that could inform future diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to disease prevention and treatment. Research will be performed at Vanderbilt University's Nashville, Tennessee facility under the administration of the Sponsored Programs Administration division.