Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Utah received a $423,500 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, through January 31, 2031. This award supports fundamental research investigating the biological functions, biosynthesis, and dynamic regulation of RNA chemical modifications. The research program addresses three primary objectives: identifying "reader" proteins that interact with modified nucleotides to elucidate modification functions and associated disease mechanisms; systematically mapping modification sites to establish the rules governing selective deposition; and developing new approaches to understand modification-mediated RNA-protein interactions as they occur in cells. This research contributes to advancing the foundational understanding necessary for developing RNA-based therapeutics and understanding how dysregulation of RNA modifications contributes to human disease pathways.

The award leverages the University of Utah's established research infrastructure and expertise in biomedical sciences, demonstrated through its substantial portfolio of federal grants and contracts across the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and Department of Defense. As a prime grantee managing this project through its Office of Sponsored Projects Division, the university will conduct investigator-initiated research at its Salt Lake City campus over the five-year performance period, contributing to NIGMS's strategic mission of supporting basic biomedical research that increases understanding of biological processes and establishes foundations for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.