Federal Grant Award Summary

Baylor College of Medicine received a $596,684 Project Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), effective June 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2031. The award funds research to define the role of co-transcriptional regulation in human cell fate transitions, specifically investigating the ILF3 protein's function as a primate-specific mechanism controlling the exit from pluripotency and lineage specification in human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). The research will deliver integrated scientific findings across three primary aims: assessment of ILF3's developmental role using cross-species gastruloid models from human, chimpanzee, rhesus monkey, and mouse; mapping of nascent RNA editing and characterization of protein-protein interactions using advanced sequencing techniques (SLAM-seq); and definition of ILF3's impact on RNA processing at developmental genes through splicing analysis and quantitative proteomics.

The grant supports foundational biomedical research designed to advance understanding of human development and improve comprehension of congenital malformation mechanisms. Deliverables include published peer-reviewed research findings, experimental datasets from cross-species developmental models, identification of novel regulatory mechanisms governing transcriptome fidelity in early primate development, and mechanistic characterization of a developmental checkpoint pathway specific to primate species. These products directly address gaps in knowledge regarding gene regulatory pathways controlling early human cell fate decisions and will contribute to the NICHD's mission to advance research enhancing child health and human development.