Federal Grant Award Summary

Harvard College, through its Office for Sponsored Programs, was awarded $1.6M on March 10, 2026, by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) to conduct investigator-initiated basic research examining the physical mechanisms of bacterial cell division. The project, scheduled for completion by February 28, 2030, will investigate how proteins, specifically FtsZ and FtsA filaments, deform bacterial cell membranes to initiate cytokinesis. The research seeks to understand whether filament condensation in living cells can overcome membrane tension forces and identify the molecular properties that modulate this process—findings with potential applications for antibiotic development targeting the bacterial division machinery.

The research combines in vivo and in vitro experimental approaches to advance fundamental understanding of bacterial cell biology. By elucidating the protein-crowding mechanisms that enable membrane invagination during cell division, this project will contribute foundational knowledge to the broader NIH mission of supporting basic biomedical research that increases understanding of biological processes and informs disease treatment strategies.