Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of New Mexico received a $305,000 Project Grant awarded on June 5, 2026, by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) under the Oral Diseases and Disorders Research program (CFDA 93.121). The award supports a two-year research initiative (completion date: June 4, 2028) investigating the functions of PRDM3 and PRDM16 paralogs in craniofacial cartilage development. The project will employ a combination of genetic mouse models, in vitro cell culture systems, and molecular tools to define the mechanisms by which these chromatin modifiers regulate chondrocyte differentiation through Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional signaling pathways.

The research addresses critical gaps in understanding gene regulatory networks controlling craniofacial skeleton formation, with direct implications for preventing congenital defects including cleft lip/palate and mandibular hypoplasia. The project's primary deliverable is fundamental scientific knowledge regarding how PRDM paralog expression levels fine-tune activation and repression of developmental signaling cascades, which will advance the National Institute's mission to translate research findings into prevention and treatment strategies for dental, oral, and craniofacial health and disease.