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

Engineering Naturally Occurring Multi-Heme Cytochrome Nanowires into Self-Assembled Nanogels

Award Number: F31NS149527
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/12/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2029

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Engineering Naturally Occurring Multi-Heme Cytochrome Nanowires into Self-Assembled Nanogels - Abstract The development of advanced biomaterials capable of electrical signal transmission is vital for regenerative medicine and bioelectronics, with injectable conductive nanogels showing significant promise. While naturally occurring, biocompatible extracellular conductive nanowires (ECNs) from anaerobic bacteria, such as the multi- heme cytochrome proteins, offer a compelling solution to the limitations of synthetic materials (e.g., solubility and biocompatibility), their widespread application is currently limited by challenges in their rational engineering and efficient production. Specifically, the recently discovered ECN protein family has not yet been integrated into recent novel AI protein design tools, and their complex in vivo assembly mechanisms remain poorly understood. This proposal will bridge these gaps by first identifying and engineering OmcE cytochrome nanowires that form large, ordered bundles. This involves comprehensive large-scale genomic and AlphaFold3-guided virtual screens to pinpoint novel OmcE homologs, followed by high-resolution cryo-EM characterization to elucidate their structural details and bulk conductivity measurements to confirm electrical properties. Subsequently, state- of-the-art AI tools will be employed to engineer novel OmcE variants exhibiting robust self-assembly into advanced conductive nanogels. Simultaneously, another major objective is to visualize the OmcE secretion system in situ to unravel its intricate assembly mechanism. We hypothesize that these nanowires assemble via a large outer membrane porin, analogous to the chaperone-usher pathway. Sub-tomogram averaging will be utilized to reconstruct the porin's structure at sub-nanometer resolution, providing critical molecular blueprints for the rational design of OmcE variants with enhanced self-assembly properties and enabling their efficient recombinant overexpression. Ultimately, this work will facilitate the precise engineering of super OmcE nanowires for conductive nanogels, offering transformative insights into their biosynthesis and establishing a foundation for a new generation of protein-based bioelectronic materials.


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 = $43,714 )
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	000	1	5/12/2026	NEW	$43,714
2026	2026	UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM	701 S 20TH STREET	BIRMINGHAM	AL	35294	JEFFERSON	USA	Extramural Research Programs in the Neurosciences and Neurological Disorders	001	1	5/12/2026	NEW	$0
														Subtotal = $43,714

Grand Total All Awards = $43,714

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Engineering Naturally Occurring Multi-Heme Cytochrome Nanowires into Self-Assembled Nanogels

Award Number: F31NS149527

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 05/12/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 04/30/2029

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer