Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Florida, Division of Sponsored Research, received a $320,750 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective April 1, 2026, with a completion date of March 31, 2031. The award funds basic biomedical research investigating the genetic and molecular mechanisms that connect mechanotransduction to lipid metabolism. The project will employ forward genetic screens, proximity-labeling proteomics, physiological assays, and transcriptomic analyses to characterize mechanosensitive ion channels—particularly the PIEZO family—and identify regulatory pathways modulating mechanotransduction's influence on cellular behavior, calcium-signaling pathways, and inter-tissue communication.

The research addresses critical knowledge gaps by examining how mechanosensory processes and lipid metabolic pathways coordinate to maintain cellular homeostasis. A second research direction investigates lipid metabolism with emphasis on de novo lipogenesis, building upon preliminary findings demonstrating that the PIEZO mechanosensor regulates lipid content and fatty acid-associated prostaglandin synthesis. This five-year investigator-initiated research project contributes to NIGMS's mission of supporting fundamental basic research that increases understanding of biological processes and provides the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.