Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded The Johns Hopkins University a $406,026 Project Grant effective March 5, 2026, through December 31, 2030, under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859). This award supports the development of advanced biophysical models and computational approaches to understand biomolecular condensate dynamics—non-membrane-bound cellular organelles that form through phase separation and play critical roles in cellular functions including ribosomal assembly, stress response, and metabolism. The research integrates biophysical modeling with coarse-grained simulations and single-molecule tracking data to quantitatively interpret experimental observations and uncover the physical principles and biological mechanisms governing condensate dynamics.

The project addresses a significant gap between recent advances in experimental imaging techniques that have enabled sophisticated measurement of condensate properties and the limited mathematical modeling frameworks available to interpret these highly quantitative datasets. By developing next-generation dynamical models capable of capturing the complexities observed in multi-component condensates within intact cellular environments, this research will advance fundamental understanding of condensate regulation and function, with potential implications for understanding diseases including neurodegeneration and cancer where condensate dysfunction has been implicated.