Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Yale University received a $456,999 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865), effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028. The award supports exploratory research investigating the role of acetyl-methyllysine (KAcMe) in spermatogenic development. The research addresses a gap in understanding histone modifications during sperm development by characterizing the unique distribution and regulation of KAcMe in spermatogenesis and identifying the molecular machinery—readers, writers, and erasers—that controls this dual lysine modification. The project employs immunofluorescence, western blotting, genome-wide chromatin profiling, and chemical and transcriptomic screening methodologies to systematically define KAcMe regulatory features and test candidate regulatory proteins including BRDT and KMT9.

The anticipated deliverables include mechanistic insights into KAcMe metabolism that will enable future detailed studies on its regulatory role in male fertility. By determining how this combined histone modification differs functionally from either acetylation or methylation alone, the research aims to establish foundational knowledge linking chromatin remodeling to spermatogenic development and potentially identifying targets for fertility intervention strategies.