Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Boston College received a $641,700 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), with an award date of August 1, 2026, and completion date of March 31, 2031. The grant supports the development of chemical-proteomic tools and methodologies to investigate cysteine modifications in proteins across distinct subcellular compartments. The research deliverables include advancement of chemoproteomic platforms that identify functional cysteines involved in critical protein functions such as nucleophilic catalysis, redox regulation, metal binding, and covalent liganding, with particular emphasis on spatial localization of analyses within mitochondrial and nuclear compartments.

Over the five-year project period, the funded research will expand existing chemoproteomic capabilities by coupling proximity biotinylation methods with targeted analyses to investigate uncharacterized protein regulation mechanisms. Specific research objectives include mechanistic investigation of iron-sulfur cluster formation in mitochondria, evaluation of cysteine oxidation during growth-factor signaling proximal to the plasma membrane, and development of electrophilic modification platforms for cysteine regulation. These investigator-initiated research activities represent fundamental basic research designed to increase understanding of biological processes and establish foundations for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention consistent with NIGMS's mission priorities.