Federal Grant Award Summary

The Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory received a $464,750 Project Grant award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective March 15, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2031. The award funds fundamental research exploring tissue-specific mechanisms and requirements for nucleolin (NCL) organization in living organisms, with a focus on understanding how this RNA binding protein is organized within the nucleolus and its critical role in ribosome biogenesis. The project leverages C. elegans as a model organism, utilizing advanced genetic engineering techniques including CRISPR/Cas9 technology and super-resolution imaging (Airyscan) to visualize and map sub-nucleolar organization in living cells—research that was previously limited to in vitro studies.

The research deliverables include in vivo studies of nucleolin organization mechanisms in a living animal model, comprehensive mapping of sub-nucleolar architecture in germ cells, and investigation of how nucleolin disruption affects cellular processes such as fertility and development. By conducting this research in a living organism rather than cell culture systems, the project aims to clarify the biological mechanisms regulating nucleolin organization and advance understanding of how its disorganization contributes to human disease. This fundamental research is expected to establish a knowledge foundation that informs future diagnostic and therapeutic development in disease areas associated with nucleolin dysfunction.