Federal Grant Award Summary

Davidson College received a $487,727 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), awarded May 15, 2026, with completion targeted for April 30, 2029. The project, titled "Decoding the Sulfation Code: Selectively Sulfated Glycomacromolecules as Tools to Investigate Viral Protein-Carbohydrate Recognition," will develop a library of synthetic sulfated glycomacromolecules designed to function as research tools for studying heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) interactions with viral proteins. This research addresses critical limitations in understanding how viral pathogens—including HSV-1, HSV-2, HPV, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, and numerous other viruses—utilize HSPG binding during infection.

The project will generate precisely defined, synthetic sulfated glycomacromolecules that overcome heterogeneity issues inherent in naturally derived heparan sulfate structures, enabling structure-function analyses that are otherwise difficult to perform. By creating oligomers and polymers with controlled sulfation patterns that mimic native heparan sulfate characteristics, the research will provide the scientific community with standardized investigative tools to decode the "sulfation code"—the molecular patterns that govern viral-carbohydrate recognition. These tools will facilitate fundamental research into viral infection mechanisms while supporting the broader mission of NIGMS to advance understanding of biological processes underlying disease diagnosis and prevention.