Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Florida Atlantic University received a $146,313 Project Grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) under the Environmental Health program (CFDA 93.113), awarded on April 15, 2026, with a completion date of April 14, 2028. The award funds research investigating the interaction between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—commonly known as "forever chemicals"—and nucleic acids. This research addresses significant knowledge gaps regarding how PFAS molecules bind to and affect DNA and RNA, building upon previous findings that PFAS preferentially binds to proteins and interferes with DNA methylation patterns.

The research project will employ multiple analytical methodologies to characterize PFAS-nucleic acid interactions, including optical spectroscopy techniques (circular dichroism and UV-VIS), hydrodynamic viscosity testing, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy to examine conformational changes in nucleic acids. Thermodynamic analyses via isothermal titration calorimetry will measure binding affinity, stoichiometry, and driving forces by determining melting temperature, binding enthalpy, equilibrium association constants, Gibbs free energy, entropy change, and heat capacity changes. The investigation will examine how different PFAS molecules with varying carbon-chain lengths and functional groups interact with nucleic acids of diverse compositions, with findings intended to enhance understanding of PFAS environmental and human health impacts.