Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Texas at Austin received a $429,650 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective April 6, 2026, through March 31, 2031. This award supports fundamental research investigating the interplay between cellular metabolism, chromatin regulation, and transcriptional control in ethylene signaling and stress responses using Arabidopsis as a model organism. The research will elucidate how mitochondrial-nuclear coordination regulates metabolism and chromatin architecture to control gene expression programs governing cellular stress responses and adaptation, with particular focus on the EIN2 (Ethylene Insensitive 2) protein's dual role in both ethylene signaling and histone modification regulation of H3K14ac and H3K23ac marks.

This basic biomedical research project contributes to NIGMS's mission to advance understanding of biological processes and establish foundational knowledge for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. The work will generate peer-reviewed research findings and technical advances in understanding how plants integrate hormonal and metabolic signals to respond to environmental challenges including hypoxia, pathogen infection, and water stress—knowledge with potential translational applications for crop improvement and broader insights into cellular stress adaptation mechanisms.