Wednesday, December 31, 2025 12/31/2025

Chromatin regulation of epithelial stem cell function

Award Number: R35GM142503
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/01/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Chromatin regulation of epithelial stem cell function - ABSTRACT Stemness is a functional cellular attribute defined by properties of multipotency (the ability to produce all differentiated cell types in a tissue) and self-renewal (the ability to produce new stem cells). In adult epithelial tissues, stemness can exist in: (1) dedicated stem cells occupying a defined niche, and (2) differentiated cells that exhibit plasticity to drive regeneration following injury. Stem cells must balance self-renewal with differentiation, and differentiated cells must balance lineage specific identity with plasticity to participate in regenerative responses. My lab is interested in understanding how chromatin modifications and their associated enzymes interact with site-specific transcription factors (TFs) to establish cell identities while simultaneously facilitating alternative cell fates. We focus on intestinal stem cells (ISCs), which drive the renewal of the intestinal epithelium approximately once a week throughout adult life, as a model system. Over the next five years, my research program will explore how TFs and chromatin modifying enzymes contribute to an exit from the stem cell state as ISC differentiate. Current models propose that rapid differentiation and plasticity in the intestinal epithelium is regulated by chromatin landscapes that are highly similar across all intestinal epithelial cell types, regardless of differentiation stage. Recent studies in my lab have challenged this model using a Sox9EGFP mouse model that allows us to isolate ISCs, progenitors, and differentiated cells with a single reporter transgene. We quantified changes in chromatin accessibility and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and identified significant chromatin dynamics at genomic loci consistent with enhancers. Our analyses identified novel candidate TF-chromatin interactions and raise exciting questions about the importance of chromatin regulation in adult epithelial stem cells. Our future research will build on this progress to understand: (1) how stem cell- associated chromatin is decommissioned by TFs in differentiation, (2) how lineage-specific regulatory programs are “primed” in ISCs, and (3) how chromatin modifying enzymes bridge regulation of self-renewal and differentiation. The approach proposed here will establish a long-term research program, with broad potential to expand into studies of plasticity/de-differentiation, chromatin regulation of epithelial responses to environmental challenges, and development. Our goal is to pursue a basic mechanistic understanding of chromatin regulation in stemness that will have foundational relevance to human health and disease, including epithelial responses to inflammation, infection, injury, aging, 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: 2026 ( Subtotal = $6,043 )
2026	2025	UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL	104 AIRPORT DR STE 2200	CHAPEL HILL	NC	27599	ORANGE	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	6	12/19/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$391,248
2026	2025	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR NE	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	5	12/19/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$385,205
														Subtotal = $6,043

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $385,206 )
2025	2025	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR NE	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	5	7/15/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$385,206
														Subtotal = $385,206

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $385,755 )
2024	2024	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR NE	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	4	7/2/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$385,755
														Subtotal = $385,755

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $397,523 )
2023	2023	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	2	5/1/2023	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$11,268
2023	2023	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	3	6/28/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$386,255
														Subtotal = $397,523

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $556,340 )
2022	2022	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	2	7/20/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$386,709
2022	2022	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	6/17/2022	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$169,631
														Subtotal = $556,340

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $387,021 )
2021	2021	EMORY UNIVERSITY	201 DOWMAN DR	ATLANTA	GA	30322	DEKALB	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	1	7/9/2021	NEW	$387,021
														Subtotal = $387,021

Grand Total All Awards = $2,117,888

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Chromatin regulation of epithelial stem cell function

Award Number: R35GM142503

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 08/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 09/01/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer