Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Georgia Southern University Research & Service Foundation Inc. received a $142,000 Project Grant award dated July 16, 2026, from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859). The project, titled "Robust Actin Filament Modeling in Low-Resolution Cryo-ET Images Using Advanced Deep Learning and Algorithmic Techniques," will be performed in Georgia and is scheduled for completion by April 30, 2030.

The award funds the development and validation of a computational framework designed to improve analysis of actin filaments from cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) data. Deliverables include: (1) a local dynamic programming algorithm to enhance contrast of filamentous structures by leveraging their linear geometry; (2) a dedicated deep learning segmentation tool pre-trained on large-scale simulated datasets with realistic noise profiles and fine-tuned on experimental data; and (3) geometry-aware reconstruction methodologies. These computational tools directly address critical technical challenges in cryo-ET imaging, including low signal-to-noise ratios and missing wedge artifacts, enabling unprecedented quantitative assessment of actin morphology in native cellular states—research with direct implications for understanding dysregulation mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis, cardiovascular dysfunction, and neurodegenerative disease.