Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Award Details: Vanderbilt University received a $474,174 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective September 1, 2026, through April 30, 2031. The award supports research conducted at Vanderbilt's Nashville, Tennessee location through the university's Sponsored Programs Administration division.

Research Objectives and Deliverables: The grant funds investigator-initiated basic biomedical research focused on deciphering allosteric mechanisms that regulate eukaryotic heme synthesis. The research centers on aminolevulinic acid synthase (ALAS), the rate-limiting enzyme initiating heme biosynthesis in eukaryotes, with particular emphasis on the ALAS2 isoform critical to red blood cell production. The project employs an integrated methodological approach including structural biology, enzymology, protein engineering, computational modeling, and cell-based studies to elucidate how changes in enzyme structure impact enzymatic activity and downstream cellular signaling. Expected deliverables include novel insights into ligand and protein binding mechanisms that regulate ALAS function, advancing fundamental understanding of heme metabolism control with potential applications toward treating blood diseases resulting from ALAS2 gene mutations. This research contributes to NIGMS's mission of supporting basic scientific discoveries that advance understanding of biological processes underlying human health and disease prevention.