Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) awarded the University of Wisconsin–Madison a $415,360 Project Grant under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) effective August 1, 2026, with completion targeted for March 31, 2031. This award funds fundamental research to understand the roles of giant starship transposons in horizontal gene transfer and fungal evolution. The research will characterize previously undiscovered giant transposons (termed "starships") that carry dozens of genes encoding fungal traits such as secondary metabolite production and biofilm formation, and will investigate their mechanisms in facilitating adaptive trait dissemination across fungal species. The deliverables include experimental tools, molecular characterization protocols, and foundational knowledge addressing gaps in current analytical methods that fail to account for starship-mediated horizontal gene transfer in fungi.

This basic research initiative directly supports NIGMS's mission to advance understanding of biological processes underlying disease mechanisms and health outcomes. The work addresses urgent knowledge gaps in fungal evolution with long-term applicability to disease mitigation and health management strategies. By elucidating starship transfer mechanisms and their contributions to fungal pathogenesis and mutualism, the research will resolve currently unexplained biological variation in human-associated fungi and provide scientific foundations for innovative approaches to fungal disease control.