Project Grant R35GM166438

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences awarded the University of Texas at Dallas $1.928 million on September 1, 2026, under the Biomedical Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.859) for a project grant investigating how cellular metabolism shapes embryonic development.

The funded research integrates advanced imaging, genetic tools, and single-cell sequencing in the chordate model Ciona to examine how metabolic rewiring orchestrates gene regulatory networks during embryogenesis. The work builds on prior findings that metabolic states in glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and biomolecular chemistry are heterogeneous even within embryos at the same developmental stage. Over the five-year performance period (September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2030), the laboratory will establish multimodal measurements of metabolism at single-cell resolution to clarify the mechanistic role of metabolism in instructing developmental programs and cell fate decisions. The research capitalizes on Ciona's simplicity and evolutionary position to generate insights into conserved metabolic pathways and developmental mechanisms across chordates.

Work is performed in Richardson, Texas. The funding is obligated at $1.928 million, representing a Project Grant assistance type under NIGMS's broader mission to support basic research advancing understanding of biological processes and laying the foundation for advances in disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.