Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Georgia Research Foundation, Inc. received a $2.05 million Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), awarded August 1, 2026, with a completion date of July 31, 2030. The award supports the development of glycosidase inhibitors and related compounds designed to enhance the potency and selectivity of inhibitors targeting carbohydrate processing enzymes, including glycoside hydrolases, nucleoside hydrolases, nucleoside phosphorylases, and glycosyltransferases. Building on established principles from the Crich Laboratory regarding side chain conformational effects on enzyme reactivity, the research will explore multiple strategies to restrict inhibitor side chain conformation, thereby improving both efficacy and selectivity across multiple classes of enzyme inhibitors.

This research initiative bridges carbohydrate chemistry and biochemistry by demonstrating common principles of reactivity employed in both synthetic chemistry and biological systems. By establishing a more rigorous physical-organic chemistry foundation for glycoscience, the project aims to lower barriers to entry for non-specialists and advance the field's fundamental understanding. The work is positioned within NIGMS's broader mission to support basic biomedical research that increases understanding of biological processes and lays the groundwork for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.