Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded a Project Grant of $425,100 to the Trustees of Boston University under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) on March 1, 2026, with completion targeted for February 28, 2031. Under this Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA), the Kamenetska Lab will develop and refine single-molecule biophysical tools, specifically optical tweezer force spectroscopy, combined with machine learning approaches to advance understanding of RNA structural and kinetic properties. The research addresses critical knowledge gaps in RNA folding dynamics and sequence-structure-function relationships that currently impede drug development targeting RNA-associated diseases including viral infections, cancer, and neurodegeneration.

The project deliverables include quantitative analysis of RNA mechanics and dynamics resulting from non-specific interactions with small molecules and ions present in mammalian cells, systematic characterization of the relationship between structure and folding energetics for synthetic and modified RNA structures, and development of predictive computational models for RNA folding. These research outputs will generate datasets and analytical methods to support expanded understanding of RNA behavior at millisecond and nanometer-scale resolution, advancing the foundation for therapeutic development against RNA-based disease targets.