Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Northwestern University received a $428,064 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective April 1, 2026, through January 31, 2031. The award supports experimental and theoretical research analyzing the principles underlying molecular and genomic mechanobiology, specifically investigating how proteins and DNA interact to generate functional chromosomes and control cellular functions.

The funded research combines cell- and molecule-scale mechanical analysis with genetic, biochemical, single-molecule, and mathematical modeling approaches to examine chromosome structure and dynamics across multiple biological scales—from piconewton forces and nanometer steps generated by individual protein machines to nanonewton-scale mechanics central to cell division. The five-year research initiative will advance understanding of chromosome organizational principles and their relation to underlying molecular interactions, with direct applications to understanding pathologies including genetic disorders, cancers, and targeted approaches against pathogenic organisms. Research will be conducted at Northwestern University's Evanston, Illinois facility.