Project Grant R01GM162799

Grant Summary

The University of Michigan's Regents received a $1.77 million Project Grant award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2030. This investigator-initiated research grant supports fundamental molecular and cell biology research focused on understanding membrane traffic mechanisms at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and endosomes. The project delivers basic scientific knowledge through integrated laboratory research employing both in vitro and in vivo methodologies, including synthetic systems for ectopic coat formation, structure-function analyses, partially purified biochemical systems, and advanced imaging technologies. Specific research outputs will include characterization of HEATR5 protein function in clathrin adaptor protein complex-1 (AP-1)-mediated traffic, with focus on mechanisms of membrane recruitment, regulation, and AP-1 coat modulation.

The research directly supports NIGMS's mission to advance understanding of biological processes and lay the foundation for disease diagnosis and treatment advances. By elucidating TGN traffic mechanisms, this work addresses fundamental gaps in knowledge of a cellular process critical to multiple organ systems and implicated in inherited human diseases affecting the skin, intestine, brain, eyes, and ears. The findings are designed to provide mechanistic insights essential for diagnosis of rare diseases and development of targeted therapeutics, while contributing to broader understanding of pathways exploited by pathogens.