Project Grant R35GM162572

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded $462,000 to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai on August 15, 2026, under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859, Assistance Listing) to support research into the molecular mechanisms of gating and selectivity in the MSCs and MRS2 superfamilies of ion channels.

The research combines biochemical, biophysical, and electrophysiological approaches to understand two ion channel superfamilies: mechanosensitive channels of small conductance (MSCs), found in bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants and crucial for osmotic pressure management, and the MRS2/CORA superfamily of magnesium channels. The investigation addresses fundamental mechanobiology questions, specifically how mechanosensitive channels gate in response to force stimulation. Recent structural and functional studies have uncovered a potential gating mechanism termed "flattening and expansion" of the transmembrane domain, which the research will further interrogate through combined electrophysiology, structural biology, and computational approaches. Understanding ion channel function establishes foundations for rational therapeutics, as ion channel dysfunction underlies pathological conditions including asthma, hypertension, cancer, diabetes, heart failure, and chronic pain.

Work is performed in New York, New York 10029. The period of performance runs through May 31, 2031. The award is classified as a Project Grant, an assistance type supporting investigator-initiated biomedical research.