Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Role of MRTF/SRF signaling in tendon development

Award Number: F31AR085990
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/27/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/26/2027

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Role of MRTF/SRF signaling in tendon development - PROJECT SUMMARY Tendons are connective tissues essential for transmission of muscle forces to bone to enable movement. Due to high loading demands and age-related degeneration, tendon pathologies and injuries are common, with high recurrence rate. Currently, there is an unmet need for functionally effective therapies as gold standard treatments such as surgical repair do not completely restore tendon structure or function. A better understanding of tendon developmental biology can inform regenerative therapies that require reactivation of developmental processes, such as for tissue engineering in vitro. The importance of muscle attachment and dynamic loading by muscle for tendon development has been well established. However, the mechanotransduction pathways that regulate the development of tendon in response to these mechanical cues remains unidentified. To model tendon development in vitro, our lab has previously established a method to derive tendon cells from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Exciting preliminary data using this model has shown that inhibition of mechanotransduction pathway MRTF/SRF impairs the differentiation of these tendons cells, and that activation of MRTF signaling is sufficient to drive tendon differentiation. This F31 proposal will integrate in vitro and in vivo models of tendon development to determine the regulation of tendon development by MRTF/SRF through TGFβ signaling and transcriptional regulation (Aim 1), the role of Mrtfa and Mrtfb on in vivo tendon development (Aim 2), and the role of dynamic mechanical loading and mechanosignaling in later stages of embryonic development (Aim 3). Findings from this proposal will inform therapeutic and regenerative strategies for tendon that may require reactivation of developmental processes.


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: 2026 ( Subtotal = $50,114 )
2026	2026	THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK	630 W 168TH ST FL 4	NEW YORK	NY	10032	NEW YORK	USA	Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research	000	1	6/9/2026	NEW	$50,114
														Subtotal = $50,114

Grand Total All Awards = $50,114

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Role of MRTF/SRF signaling in tendon development

Award Number: F31AR085990

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS & MUSCULOSKELETAL & SKIN DISEASES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/27/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/26/2027

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer