Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Chicago received a $480,083 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective April 15, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2031. This award funds fundamental research to understand how embryonic development mechanisms evolve across insect species, specifically examining natural variation in developmental gene networks among fly species (Diptera). The research establishes experimental tools and genomic resources for non-traditional dipteran model organisms and investigates how different fly species employ distinct anterior determinants to establish embryonic body axes—comparing mechanisms in traditional model organisms like Drosophila melanogaster with lower dipteran species such as the moth fly (Clogmia albipunctata) and harlequin fly (Chironomus riparius).

The project deliverables include genomic resources, functional genetic studies, and comparative analyses of developmental mechanisms that differ between closely related fly species. This comparative developmental biology research addresses fundamental questions about developmental robustness and gene network plasticity with implications for understanding congenital disease mechanisms in vertebrates, including humans. By leveraging flies as cost-effective, readily culturable model organisms amenable to functional studies, the research provides insights into developmental evolution that would be significantly more difficult to pursue using vertebrate systems.