Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Johns Hopkins University received a $412,124 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), awarded March 18, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2031. The award funds research conducted by the Weng Lab to investigate the mechanobiological regulations of collective cell movement, bridging in vivo and in vitro studies through integrated biology and engineering approaches. The research will decode fundamental mechanical principles governing collective cell behaviors during tissue morphogenesis, with particular focus on convergent extension—a conserved cell movement critical for body axis elongation during embryonic development.

The project will employ complementary research strategies utilizing Xenopus laevis embryo models for in vivo studies and Xenopus and mammalian cells for in vitro investigations, supplemented by computational modeling. Deliverables include fundamental scientific insights into mechanical regulations of cell movement and engineered synthetic cues designed to recreate collective cell movement in vitro. The research aims to advance technical innovation in creating functional three-dimensional tissues and organs for disease modeling and drug screening applications, addressing the knowledge gap regarding mechanical regulations in collective cell movement and contributing to broader tissue engineering capabilities.