Wednesday, February 18, 2026 2/18/2026

Symmetry Breaking in Cell Assemblies

Award Number: F32GM154397
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/16/2024
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/15/2026

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Symmetry Breaking in Cell Assemblies - Summary Tissue wide patterning is integral to robust development in multicellular organisms, requiring individual cells to generate polarity axes and coordinate this information in space and time. In order to establish cell polarity individual cells must first `break symmetry'. Imaging symmetry breaking in vivo suggests this is not a stochastic process, instead, symmetry breaking events are coordinated with in tissues and interconnected across the embryo. Using the C. elegans embryo, I will take a systems level approach to identify patterns of symmetry breaking events in the embryo that underlie synchronized, reproducible cell polarization needed for proper development. The Feldman lab has developed the C. elegans intestine as a tractable model to define cell- and tissue-level symmetry breaking events in the in vivo context of the developing embryo. The first cellular-level asymmetry we observe is the formation of `local polarity complexes' (LPCs). These macromolecular assemblies subsequently move coordinately to seed and establish the future apical surface, defining tissue-level asymmetry. In the proposed experiments, I will probe molecular assemblies to identify conserved mechanisms of polarity complex formation (aims 1 & 2) and ask if mechanical inputs are upstream of directed symmetry breaking in epithelia in vivo (aim 3). The overarching goal of this proposal is to identify where asymmetric information comes from to inform polarity programs in developing epithelia. Together these aims will inform core mechanisms of cell polarity establishment that are essential for organismal development and are key to maintaining healthy epithelia and preventing disruption of polarity programs that underlie disease states such as congenital malformations and tumorigenesis.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $78,040 )
2025	2025	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	2	6/13/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$1,284
2025	2025	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	2	5/16/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$76,756
														Subtotal = $78,040

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $74,284 )
2024	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	002	1	5/15/2024	NEW	$4,784
2024	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	4/3/2024	NEW	$69,500
2024	2024	THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY	450 JANE STANFORD WAY	STANFORD	CA	94305	SANTA CLARA	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	1	5/14/2024	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $74,284

Grand Total All Awards = $152,324

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Symmetry Breaking in Cell Assemblies

Award Number: F32GM154397

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/16/2024

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 05/15/2026

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