The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) has been awarded a $651,001 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859). The grant, effective from December 24, 2024 through November 30, 2029, will support research into the structural and biochemical mechanisms behind microtubule dynamics and regulation. The research aims to provide new insights into the physical origins and regulatory mechanisms of microtubule dynamics, which are critical for cellular processes like chromosome segregation and intracellular organization. The work will employ a combination of structural biology, quantitative biochemistry, time-lapse microscopy, and computational simulations to reveal the allosteric logic of the tubulin conformation cycle and identify mutations linked to microtubule stability. This research is expected to advance the fundamental understanding of microtubule dynamics, recognition, and regulation, with the longer-term goal of building a quantitative molecular understanding of how tubulin allostery and conformation dictate microtubule stability, dynamics, and mechanochemistry.
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