Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded Florida Institute of Technology a $527,392 Project Grant under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) to develop novel quantum sensing technologies for measuring redox dynamics in live cells. Awarded on May 1, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2029, the project will engineer chemogenetic systems using D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) to generate hydrogen peroxide with controlled spatial and dose parameters in mammalian cells. The research team will employ advanced measurement techniques including ratiometric biosensors, Seahorse metabolic assays, and an optically detected magnetic resonance microscopy (ODMRM) platform incorporating nanodiamond quantum sensors to quantify real-time redox changes with subcellular resolution.

The research directly addresses critical gaps in understanding how cells respond to different reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, with broad implications for neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and aging research. Beyond the scientific deliverables, the Usselman Lab at Florida Tech will integrate undergraduate researchers into the project, providing hands-on training to build the next generation of STEM leaders. The work will establish oxidative thresholds, measure mitochondrial responses, and clarify the boundary between beneficial ROS signaling and harmful oxidative stress, thereby advancing fundamental knowledge applicable across neuroscience, cancer biology, and metabolic disease research.