Federal Grant Award Summary

East Carolina University received a $168,918.00 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective May 1, 2026, through April 30, 2031. The award funds fundamental research investigating the mechanisms that establish functional stem cell niches during organogenesis, utilizing the Drosophila testis as a tractable model system. The research deliverables include scientific discoveries addressing three primary research questions: (1) the specification mechanisms of niche cells, (2) the role of cytoskeleton regulators in niche morphogenesis, and (3) the signaling pathways that direct niche assembly location. The project employs in vivo live imaging protocols to visualize and characterize the discrete steps of niche morphogenesis during embryonic development.

The research builds upon foundational findings demonstrating that visceral muscle signals regulate niche cell specification through expression of the transcription factor Islet (mammalian ortholog ISL1) and F-actin polarization. Deliverables include experimental findings, methodological advances in in vivo imaging for developmental biology, and mechanistic insights into stem cell niche formation that have broader applicability to other tissue systems. These outputs are intended to advance the fundamental understanding of biological processes underlying tissue homeostasis and regeneration, directly supporting NIGMS's mission to establish the scientific foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.