Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of California, San Diego received a $211,433 Project Grant award from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859), effective August 1, 2026 through July 31, 2031. This research initiative will advance fundamental understanding of protein-glycan interactions through integrated structural and biophysical investigation. The project delivers three primary research products: (1) atomic-level characterization of thermodynamic and structural mechanisms governing protein-glycan binding specificity; (2) development of engineered lectins with defined glycan-binding specificities using phage display technology that will serve as research tools for studying glycoforms and chemically defined glycan structures in biological systems; and (3) investigation of how nonspecific glycocalyx interactions influence protein stability and folding dynamics using advanced biophysical methods.

The research will employ cutting-edge biophysical methodologies including newly developed on-cell nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods, biolayer interferometry, and phage display techniques to close critical knowledge gaps in glycobiology. The anticipated outcomes include foundational insights into protein-glycan interactions at the molecular level and engineered tools to advance further research in this domain. These findings are designed to inform development of therapeutic approaches targeting glycan-mediated processes implicated in diseases including cancer, diabetes, and transplant rejection.