Research Insights
Notable Grants
Multiscale measurement of O-GlcNAc changes in Parkinson’s Disease Thursday, March 12, 2026 - Drugs that increase O-GlcNAc have been developed and proceeded into clinical trials. Notably, O-GlcNAc is found on neurodegeneration associated proteins, like tau and α-Syn, and has been shown to inhibit their amyloid aggregation and associated pathology in vitro and in mouse models. However, little is known concerning any differences in O-GlcNAc levels in PD versus […]
Collaborative Research: Unveiling the molecular mechanism of feeding tube formation by root-knot nematodes: structural and functional insights Thursday, March 12, 2026 - There is an urgent agricultural need for novel approaches to combat the billions of dollars lost annually to the devastating root-knot nematode, an obligate sedentary endoparasite and global threat to food and fiber crop production. The focus of this project is to resolve the mystery of the root-knot nematode feeding tube, a unique nematode-produced structure […]
Anti-Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) effects of tannins in poultry Thursday, March 12, 2026 - The purpose of this cooperative agreement is to evaluate the antiviral therapeutic potential of tannins against highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) as natural anti-viral supplements and immunomodulators in poultry. Tannins, plant-derived polyphenolic compounds and their metabolites, have highly effective antiviral effects against broad spectrums of pathogenic viruses including influenza virus H3N2, H5N3, herpes simplex virus-1, […]
Harnessing the Power of Nutrition against Avian Influenza Thursday, March 12, 2026 - By integrating innovative biotechnology and a comprehensive understanding of viral-host interactions, this approach aims to significantly mitigate the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in poultry through oral prophylaxis. This agreement evaluates the potential of natural compounds, alone and in combination, as immunomodulators and antivirals against HPAI. We will test each compound and compound […]
Mass vaccination-ready, reassortment-impaired live virus vaccines against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Thursday, March 12, 2026 - Driven by the urgent need to safeguard the US poultry industry from the devastating impact of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), this project leverages a powerful synergy between the University of Georgia’s cutting-edge research capabilities and the established industrial expertise of CEVA Animal Health and BioStone Animal Health to deliver a transformative solution: the first […]
Population Modeling of American Alligators to Inform Harvest Management and Future Research in Georgia Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are managed quite differently than most other fish and wildlife species in the United States. As reptiles, they do not fall within the ‘fur and feathers’ category traditional to state wildlife management, which typically receives the bulk of attention, management, and funding. Despite harvest in aquatic habitats, they are also not […]
Physiological And Molecular Regulation of Fruit Ripening in Blueberry Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - Fruit ripening is a highly regulated developmental process. From a human diet perspective, fruit are a reservoir of antioxidants and vitamins. Until recently, a few fruits have served as model systems to investigate mechanisms associated with fruit ripening. However, aspects of ripening physiology and their regulation by transcription factors and hormones are fruit-specific, and show […]
An Integrated Basic and Translational Approach to Mitigate Key Enteric Diseases of Poultry Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - The objectives of this project are to: 1. Investigate the mechanisms of pathogenicity of Eimeria field isolates that cause poultry coccidiosis and assess the bird responses to infections. The team will (1) propagate and harvest pure cultures of Eimeria isolates to obtain high quality DNA for generating full genome sequences of Eimeria parasites; (2) test […]
Improving Sustainable Management of Southern Pine Forests: Optimizing Productivity-Resilience Trade-Offs Under Combined Drought, Fire, and Pathogen Stress Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - Global forests are increasingly at risk from multiple, synergistic stressors, threatening both timber production and ecosystem services. While trade-offs between productivity and resilience are well-documented, studies investigating belowground stress response mechanisms are limited, particularly for long-lived tree species. Furthermore, the genetic basis of these traits and the degree to which genetic co-associations may constrain adaptation […]
Culture and Community at the Penn Center Tuesday, February 17, 2026 - The Penn School for Culture and Community is in the first instance a partnership between the Penn Center National Historic Landmark District and the University of Georgia’s Willson Center for Humanities & Arts. This partnership has led to a series of other collaborations, with other institutions, communities, and foundations. These have intersected in turn with […]
Alfalfa IS for Beef Cattle Thursday, January 15, 2026 - This proposal spans three years with combined efforts from three universities representing three states in the Eastern region (University of Georgia, Auburn University, and Clemson University). This proposal addresses USDA Strategic Plan priority areas by providing opportunities for American agriculture producers to be competitive in the marketplace, provide a safe, nutritious food product, and expand […]
Trilateral FPP 2023 – Homoeolog-aware gene networks at single-cell resolution to improve cold tolerance in wheat Thursday, January 15, 2026 - Climate change is causing unpredictable and severe winter weather, which can devastate wheat crops in major growing regions like Europe, North America, and China. Sudden cold snaps or warm spells during winter can reduce wheat yields by up to 50%, posing a major challenge for farmers and food production worldwide. Wheat, like many staple crops, […]
New wild species-derived pest and disease resistances for the Southeast of the USA – 2025 Thursday, January 15, 2026 - Cultivated peanut has an exceptionally narrow genetic base. This imposes limitations on the improvements that can be made by breeding with peanuts of pure pedigree, in particular with regard to pest and disease resistance. Here we propose to continue the work of incorporation of new pest and disease resistances from wild species into agronomically elite […]
High-throughput biochemical, nuclear magnetic resonance, and computational predictive biology to decode glycosyltransferases of unknown function in Sorghum bicolor Thursday, January 15, 2026 - Plants supply essential nutrients, fibers, and pharmaceuticals vital for human survival, and raw materials for numerous industries, including bioenergy, which supports jobs and drives economic development. Glycosyltransferases (GTs) catalyze the formation of glycosidic linkages to produce complex carbohydrates, which are highly abundant in all plants. This project will use high-throughput (HTP) biochemical, biophysical, and computational […]
Impact of breastmilk on Campylobacter jejuni survival Thursday, January 15, 2026 - Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of bacterial-induced diarrhea worldwide. Infection leads to high rates of morbidity and mortality in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), particularly in young children where up to 85% of infants are C. jejuni stool positive by one year of age. Also, post-infectious complications such as GuillainBarré syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, reactive […]
Characterization of Brown Spot Needle Blight Resistance in Radiata Pine Monday, December 15, 2025 - Brown spot needle blight (BSNB), caused by Lecanosticta acicola, is a foliar disease affecting several species of pines and is a major concern for many commercial plantations globally. The use of host resistance is a promising avenue to mitigate the damage caused by the disease, however, little has been done to characterize resistance and facilitate […]
Discovering and Deploying Genetic Solutions across Maturity Groups for Durable Resistance to Multiple Nematodes Monday, December 15, 2025 - Nematodes are among the top yield-robbers encountered by soybean farmers across the U.S. Almost all soybean cyst nematode (SCN)-resistant varieties in U.S. soybean production are derived from two genetic sources, imposing risk of genetic vulnerability and resistance breakdown. Soybean breeders and growers are limited in genetic sources for nematode resistance with competitive yield, which places […]
Virtual Risks and Hero Projects: Activating Transformative Community Actions for Climate Resilience Against Extreme Weather Events through Extended Reality and Artificial Intelligence Monday, December 15, 2025 - This project leverages assets from a previously funded NOAA project and the research team’s expertise in using immersive technologies to translate critical hazardous weather information with these theory-driven and evidence-based objectives: (1) amplify the impact of risk communication through mixed-reality (MR) simulations of hazardous weather events (hurricane, wildfire) that can localize the experience of risk […]
Developing LG007 as a Novel Therapeutic Agent to Treat Triple Negative Breast Cancer Monday, December 15, 2025 - For women in the United States, breast cancer is the most common malignancy and the second leading cause of death. In this application, we focus upon a specific subtype of breast cancer known as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Compared to other breast cancer subtypes, TNBC is considered more aggressive and extremely difficult to treat with […]
Wild Species Genetics Conquer Pests and Diseases Limiting Groundnut Production in Africa and Beyond Monday, December 15, 2025 - Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is the world’s second most produced grain legume and a critically important crop in Africa, particularly for small-scale producers and communities in the drylands. This crop represents a subsistence protein source for smallholder farming families and an affordable nutrition source in global markets, as well as a source of cash to […]
IUCRC Phase I University of Georgia: Center for Innovation in Risk, Catastrophes, and Decisions (CIRCAD) Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - Duke University and the University of Georgia (UGA) propose an Industry-University Collaborative Research Center (IUCRC) called the Center for Innovation in Risk-analysis for Climate Adaptation and Decision-making (CIRCAD). CIRCAD will be an interdisciplinary, high-impact research center that integrates climate science and engineering, data science and modeling, risk assessment and decision theory, and economic and policy […]
Collective behavior of oscillators in fungal filaments of Neurospora crass (Clock) Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - A grand challenge is how cellular clocks in organisms, tissues, and cells become synchronized. The focus here will be initially on understanding the synchronization of cellular clocks in filaments in a model fungal system, Neurospora crassa. The core clock mechanism genes wc-1, wc-2, and frq have homologs in flies and mammals but are in single […]
Advancing Gene Functional Analyses, Adaptation, and Regeneration in Upland and Lowland Switchgrass via Single-Cell Genomics Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - Switchgrass, a C4 grass native to the US, is a high-yielding cellulosic bioenergy feedstock. Lowland switchgrass ecotypes produce high biomass yields but are largely cold-sensitive, which hinders expansion of their cultivation into Northern US regions where the lower yielding, but cold-tolerant upland ecotype is grown. Extensive efforts are dedicated to the rapid domestication of switchgrass, […]
DOE Center for Plant and Microbial Complex Carbohydrates Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - This DOE Center renewal proposal will focus on structure, biosynthesis, and function of the plant cell wall polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I), a major ubiquitous and structurally complicated pectic polysaccharide that exists in the cell walls of all vascular plants. Plant biomass is an abundant renewable resource for the production of carbon-based bioproducts, chemicals, and glycomaterials. However, […]
Genipin’s ECM Crosslinking Action as an Agent to Prevent Neurodegeneration in Familial Dysautonomia Tuesday, November 18, 2025 - Familial Dysautonomia (FD) is a severe genetic disorder affecting children, with no specific treatment. It involves neurodevelopmental defects at birth and progressive sensory and autonomic neuropathy. Symptoms include progressing loss of pain and temperature sensation, gait ataxia, and blindness. FD is caused by a mutation in the ELP1 gene, reducing the Elp1 protein in peripheral […]
Chromosome-specific meiotic biology Monday, October 20, 2025 - Meiosis is a tightly controlled process during which the diploid genome must segregate into haploid gametes (e.g. eggs or sperm). Inheritance of the incorrect number of chromosomes is a leading cause of fertility and birth defects. However, the reasons for chromosome missegregation are not always the same for all chromosomes. Why inter-chromosomal differences exist is […]
Expanding Seeds of Success Support and Ground-Truthing Provisional Seed Transfer Zones Through Genetic Analysis Monday, October 20, 2025 - This project, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – Burned Area Recovery (BIL-BAR), will support the national native seed collection program, Seeds of Success (SOS), in its efforts to develop native plant materials for stabilizing, rehabilitating, and restoring post-wildfire lands. The award establishes the U.S. Forest Service’s (USFS) National Seed Laboratory (NSL) in Dry Branch, […]
Navigating the Transition to Middle Age in the Strong African American Healthy Adults Project (SHAPE) Monday, October 20, 2025 - African Americans in the rural South are often not included in studies focused on the developmental origins of cognitive decline and cardiometabolic disease, but they experience among the lowest life expectancies in the US among the lowest life expectancies in the US, a consequence of morbidity from chronic diseases of aging (CDAs) and Alzheimer’s disease […]
Using 2D and 3D adrenal gland tissues to investigate developmental and disease paradigms Monday, October 20, 2025 - The adrenal glands are vital endocrine organs, comprising the medulla and cortex, that control stress responses, metabolism, blood pressure, and immunity. We hypothesize that better understanding of medulla and cortex development, their interaction and pathologies will unlock novel treatment options for adrenal gland disorders. Our long-term goal is to use human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived […]
National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program: GA-Elevating Science Teachers’ Excellence Everyday [DMM1] Matters (GA-ESTEEM) Monday, October 20, 2025 - The National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot Program: Georgia – Elevating Science Teachers’ Excellence Everyday Matters (GA-ESTEEM) project will address the critical need to elevate Georgia’s K-12 science teachers who have demonstrated excellence in teaching science and strengthen the work of new and existing science teachers. This five-year project will build alliances among professional organizations, state […]
Merging bacteriophage biology with microbial glycobiology Monday, September 22, 2025 - Bacteriophages, or phages, are considered the most abundant organisms on Earth with an estimated 10+31 particles in the biosphere. These viruses are in a perpetual arms race with bacteria and arguably the major force driving bacterial evolution. Similarly, phages continue to develop novel mechanisms to infect their host and avoid detection, and carbohydrates are central […]
Retrospective Marsh Model Comparison Study Monday, September 22, 2025 - Coastal marsh environments exist at the intersection of human populations and the ocean. They provide economic output through commercial fisheries, tourism, and recreation and protect coastal communities during storm events. Coastal land managers and other stakeholders need vetted scientific information and user-driven tools to understand salt marshes’ vulnerability and to make informed decisions on management […]
Molecular mechanism of MFS and MOP lipid transporters in cell wall biosynthesis Monday, September 22, 2025 - Transporters from the multidrug exporter/oligosaccharidyl-lipid/polysaccharide (MOP) superfamily and the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) are central to multiple cell wall biopolymer biosynthesis pathways. Transporters from both superfamilies exhibit significant differences in their architecture, lipid substrate selectivity, and transport mechanisms. There are several critical gaps in our current understanding of the molecular mechanism of substrate recognition and […]
Memory Regulatory T cells in Recurring Malaria Monday, September 22, 2025 - Regulatory T cells or ‘Tregs’ play a critical role in our health and well-being by suppressing over- exuberant immune responses. Antigen-specific Tregs, like other T cell subsets, are maintained for prolonged periods in the host as memory Tregs (mTregs). These are possibly recalled to protect against the immunopathology associated with repeated encounters with the same […]
LTER: Georgia Coastal Ecosystems – V Monday, September 22, 2025 - The Georgia Coastal Ecosystems (GCE) Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) program, which was established in 2000 to understand estuaries (places where salt water from the ocean mixes with fresh water from the land) and their adjacent coastal wetlands (i.e., marshes and tidal forests) and how they respond to long-term change. The GCE LTER researchers evaluate […]
Multi-Tracer Investigation of Hydraulic Connectivity between the Okefenokee Swamp and the Upper Floridan Aquifer Monday, August 18, 2025 - We propose to investigate whether water from the Okefenokee Swamp flows into the underlying Upper Floridan Aquifer—a key source of drinking water for communities in southern Georgia and northern Florida. While past studies hinted at a possible connection, no one has directly compared the swamp’s water with nearby groundwater using modern scientific tools. This project […]
Between Relativism and Reproach: Exploring Value Judgements about Good Human Lives within Theologically Engaged Anthropology Monday, August 18, 2025 - This project addresses the Big Question: how can anthropologists and theologians responsibly navigate the extremes of relativism and unreflexive judgmentalism to support good human lives? While both disciplines have explored the concept of good human lives, a collaborative approach is urgently needed to tackle the analytical challenges posed by relativism, which can devolve into amoral […]
Characterizing chemsex [OR1] patterns and adoption of harm reduction measures among men in the South Monday, August 18, 2025 - Chemsex is a practice of drug use before or during sexual activity to facilitate, enhance, prolong, and sustain sexual pleasure. The drugs that are most commonly used in chemsex include crystalized methamphetamine (crystal meth), gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), mephedrone, amyl nitrite, ketamine, and ecstasy/MDMA. They are chosen for their disinhibition effects on the common social, […]
Plasmodium effectors mitigating cell-intrinsic immune responses in hepatocytes Monday, August 18, 2025 - Malaria is a serious disease caused by the parasite Plasmodium, which initially infects liver cells before spreading to red blood cells and causing a potentially lethal infection. Traditionally, this early liver stage was considered to be relatively invisible to the immune system. However, recent studies, including our own, have found that liver cells can detect […]
CAREER: Composition, transport, and fate of dissolved and pyrogenic organic matter in fire-impacted soils Monday, August 18, 2025 - This project will advance our understanding of soil processes that control the amount of carbon stored in soil. Understanding the controls on soil carbon storage and loss are critical for managing our natural environment for plant productivity, for improving our water quality, and for mitigating the effects of anthropogenic climate change. This project involves a […]
Confronting Racial Inequity with Black History: The Development and Initial Validation of a Measure of Black History Consciousness for African Descent Youth Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - Black history has been identified as important to psychosocial adjustment and education outcomes. In K‒12 and in higher education settings, Black history supports transformational educational experiences whereby African descent students can more readily negotiate race-based discrimination and develop counternarratives that challenge deficit ideas about their abilities as students and their value as people. Despite growing […]
Pinpoint the Sox10+ taste bud progenitor cells in von Ebner’s glands and Sox10 regulation in cell differentiation Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - In mammals, taste bud cells are post-mitotic, and they have a short lifespan and undergo continuous renewal, therefore, progenitors in the immediate surrounding tissue must be available to renew taste bud cells for homeostasis. Thorough information of taste bud progenitors and molecular regulation in the cell differentiation is essential to understanding taste disorders caused by […]
Development and Standardization of a Novel Pituitary Adenoma Organoid Model for the Study and Treatment of Cushing’s Disease Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - Cushing’s disease (CD) is a serious endocrine disorder characterized by an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting PitNET that subsequently stimulates the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol. Chronic exposure to excess cortisol has wide ranging and detrimental effects on health, including increased stroke rates, diabetes, obesity, depression, anxiety and death. Although CD is linked to a threefold increase […]
Rural Pharmacy Harm Reduction Model Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - Despite the implementation of numerous successful harm reduction programs across the state, accessing harm reduction services remains a challenge for those living in rural communities. This lack of proximity to resources can directly impact the outcomes for those at risk of an opioid overdose. Our proposal seeks to utilize an untapped healthcare resource currently available […]
Evolution of Retrotransposon Control Mechanisms Tuesday, July 15, 2025 - Dysregulated expression of retrotransposons and other transposable elements (TEs) can lead to increases in TE copy number, DNA damage and instability, or aberrant regulation of host genes, which in turn can contribute to human disease. Conversely, TE activity is required for processes ranging from early mammalian development and cell senescence to horizontal transposon transfer (HTT) […]
Can More Wealth-Conscious Financial Aid Policy Narrow Racial Inequality in Student Borrowing? Monday, June 23, 2025 - Federal student aid emphasizes income and under-acknowledges wealth. I (1) assess whether this under-acknowledgment reinforces Black-white inequality in student borrowing and debt, and (2) test whether more wealth-conscious aid would narrow the Black-white gap in student borrowing. Student debt is very racially unequal, and the large Black-white gap especially merits attention. A likely contributing factor […]
Historical analysis of Salmonella using pre-existing data: trends in outbreaks, genomics, and geographic factors Monday, June 23, 2025 - We will evaluate the genetic changes of beef-related Salmonella isolates in the NCBI database, across time and geographic regions. The goal is to determine how quickly or slowly Salmonella populations change over time with respect to beef food safety and to identify patterns across time and geographic regions that could inform risks 1. Validation of […]
Multi-Model Forecasting of Influenza Seasonal Dynamics to Increase National and Global Forecasting Accuracy and Capacity Monday, June 23, 2025 - Prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, influenza viruses led to an estimated 140,000-170,000 hospitalizations and 12,000-52,000 annual deaths in the US. In response to the global spread of COVID-19, governments intermittently enacted strict non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), including school closures, stay-at-home orders, targeted business capacity restrictions or closures, and mask mandates, which in combination […]
Assessing the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Carriage State Monday, June 23, 2025 - It is hypothesized that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the primary agent of human tuberculosis (TB) has been with the human population for more than 12,000 years. Although there are nearly 9 million new cases of TB each year, the vast majority of individuals who come into contact with this organism appear to clear it with no […]
Holistic Study of Nearby Young Moving Groups Monday, June 23, 2025 - Since the discoveries of archetypes of nearby, young moving groups (NYMGs) in the late 1990s, more than 10 NYMGs have been identified within #100pc, with #10,000 claimed members in total. Members of these NYMGs are the youngest (#200 Myr) available stars near Earth (#100 pc). Due to their youth and proximity, these stars serve as […]
Establishing a Baird’s tapir (Tapirus bairdii) population health surveillance program through a collaborative system in Costa Rica (Jorge Rojas Jimenez) Monday, May 19, 2025 - The globally endangered Baird’s tapir Tapirus bairdii is the largest native terrestrial mammal in Mesoamerica. Today, < 5,000 individuals are estimated to remain in the wild from Southeast Mexico to Northern Colombia. Baird’s tapirs are herbivorous, hindgut fermenters, that have long- distance movements. Due to this, tapirs play a key role in seed dispersal, hence […]
Building Gullah Geechee Resilience to Climate Change Through Spaces of Abundance in the Salt Marsh of Sapelo Island Monday, May 19, 2025 - Writers, poets and scientists have long tried to capture the mystery and magic of salt marshes. At the same time, interconnected social and ecological processes, including sea level rise and land loss, are dynamically transforming land-use for vulnerable coastal communities and habitat for coastal environments. Marsh landscapes have long been an unrecognized source of producing […]
Partnering with hunters and improving estimation of deer populations to combat chronic wasting disease Monday, May 19, 2025 - Georgia Department of Natural Resources strives to continually improve its ability to manage white-tailed deer populations effectively. Understanding the knowledge of and preferences of hunters is important for partnering with them to manage deer populations. Also, accurately estimating the size of deer populations is necessary to design management programs to meet objectives. Chronic wasting disease […]
The National Biorepository and Resource for Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumor Translational Research (BioPitNeT) Monday, May 19, 2025 - Pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs) are rare and understudied heterogeneous tumors that are detrimental to health causing increased mortality and poor quality of life. Cushing’s disease (CD) is a serious endocrine disease caused by an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting PitNET that subsequently stimulates the adrenal glands to overproduce cortisol. Chronic exposure to excess cortisol has several detrimental […]
Establishing an In Vitro Organoid Model to Study Feline Chronic Kidney Disease Pathophysiology Monday, May 19, 2025 - Through this research program, we propose to screen relevant drugs (Dexa/EXA) in canine intestinal organoids {Milestone 1} establish, for the first time, an in vitro model of chronic kidney disease in dogs {Milestone 2} and cats {Milestone 3}. These novel models will then be cultured either with or without TNF-α and ideal study parameters will […]