Thursday, September 18, 2025 9/18/2025

Reprogramming towards a germline stem cell fate

Award Number: F32GM143850
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2024

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Reprogramming towards a germline stem cell fate - Project Summary Germline cellular immortality underlies the continuation of all sexually reproducing species. Recent work has identified frequent examples of interconversion between germline and somatic fates, suggesting plasticity, rather than a strict dichotomy, between germline and soma. In adults, production of male gametes is driven by germline stem cell (GSC) division. In my postdoctoral work, I propose to use the powerfully tractable system of the Drosophila melanogaster male germline to identify necessary factors of immortal germline fate. In addition to undergoing normal self-renewal and differentiation, GSCs can be generated through dedifferentiation of spermatogonia, and can be lost through both forced differentiation to germ cells and transdifferentiation to soma. First, using single-cell RNA sequencing on testes cells in which the germline is undergoing dedifferentiation, I will reconstruct lineage transitions to identify genes underlying GSC formation from a differentiated cell, including both germline cell- autonomous factors and non-autonomous signaling factors. I will validate these data using both in vivo expression characterization and assays of gene function. Next, I will describe the transcriptional changes necessary for transdifferentiation of GSCs to somatic cells, identifying the components that maintain germline identity. Finally, I will leverage discovery of factors involved in both a) the creation of GSCs from differentiating cells, and b) the loss of GSC identity that results in somatic cell formation, in order to develop a novel model for inducible somatic reprogramming to a germline fate. This work will significantly further our understanding of the factors that confer cellular immortality, and will aid in the development of therapies for diverse human diseases.


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 = -$55,120 )
2025	2023	WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH	455 MAIN ST	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02142	MIDDLESEX	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	3	8/26/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$55,120
														Subtotal = -$55,120

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $71,792 )
2023	2023	WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH	455 MAIN ST	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02142	MIDDLESEX	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	3	8/23/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$71,792
														Subtotal = $71,792

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $67,582 )
2022	2022	WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH	455 MAIN ST	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02142	MIDDLESEX	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	2	8/12/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$67,582
														Subtotal = $67,582

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $65,994 )
2021	2021	WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH	455 MAIN ST	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02142	MIDDLESEX	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	1	7/6/2021	NEW	$0
2021	2021	WHITEHEAD INSTITUTE FOR BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH	455 MAIN ST	CAMBRIDGE	MA	02142	MIDDLESEX	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	7/6/2021	NEW	$65,994
														Subtotal = $65,994

Grand Total All Awards = $150,248

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Reprogramming towards a germline stem cell fate

Award Number: F32GM143850

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: FELLOWSHIP/SCHOLARSHIP/STUDENT LOANS

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2024

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer