Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of California, Santa Barbara received a $391,250 Project Grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2031. This research award supports the development of advanced computational methodologies to study liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), which form biomolecular condensates critical to physiological functions but capable of transitioning into disease-associated amyloid fibrils under aberrant conditions. The project delivers three primary research outputs: (1) a multiscale computational framework integrating atomistic simulations with field theoretic modeling to generate accurate phase diagrams for tau protein and elastin-like polypeptides, with results backmapped to generate experimentally comparable solvated condensate structures; (2) development of high-pressure Kirkwood-Buff force fields for osmolytes and their application to studying high-pressure denaturation mechanisms; and (3) artificial intelligence protein language model tools designed to identify new LLPS-prone sequences within the human proteome.

These integrated research products advance fundamental understanding of how water, co-solvents, and pressure modulate biomolecular assembly and condensate formation, establishing computational foundations for potential therapeutic applications in disease prevention and diagnosis. The award represents NIGMS's commitment to supporting investigator-initiated basic research that increases understanding of biological processes and provides the foundation for advances in disease treatment and prevention.