Protecting Cells Without Water: How Some Organisms Survive Desiccation
Official title: Mechanisms of Desiccation Tolerance
Funded at Southern Methodist University · NIH-11431052 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how certain animals survive extreme dryness to learn ways to keep medicines and cells stable without refrigeration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Southern Methodist University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,927 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM166013-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11431052 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly; the study focuses on basic biology and materials that could eventually benefit people through better storage of medical products.
✕Less likely to help
The research itself does not involve patient participation or direct treatments for individuals.
What this research studies
This project explores how desiccation-tolerant organisms protect their cells when water is scarce. The team aims to uncover the roles of protective molecules like LEA proteins and small heat shock proteins in preserving cellular structure during drying. By understanding these mechanisms, they hope to identify new, room-temperature stabilizers for cells, vaccines, and other biologics. The work combines biochemistry, cell biology, and biomaterials approaches to translate basic findings into practical stabilization strategies for biomedical products.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new stabilizers that allow medicines and vaccines to be stored and transported without the cold chain.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that certain protectants can stabilize dried biological materials, supporting the potential for progress in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hibshman, Jonathan — Southern Methodist University
- Study coordinator: Hibshman, Jonathan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How p53 helps protect against cancer by controlling genetic elements in fruit flies
This grant explores how the tumor-suppressor protein p53 works to keep cells from turning cancerous, using fruit flies and other models to learn how p53 controls mobile genetic elements called retrotransposons and how this might relate to human cancer.
-
Multimodal label-free nanosensor for single virus characterization
A new sensor is being developed to detect and analyze individual AAV virus particles to ensure accurate cargo content before they are used in therapies.
-
Optimizing unusual carbapenem antibiotics to fight mycobacterial infections
Researchers are designing and testing new carbapenem antibiotics to better fight tough mycobacterial infections like TB and non-tuberculous mycobacteria.
-
AI-powered exploration of protein dynamics and chemical kinetics
A computer-based research project will use advanced AI and physics-based simulations to study how proteins move and catalyze reactions, with a focus on enabling discoveries that could help fight viral infections and other diseases.
-
Understanding how cellular quality control networks keep our cells healthy
This NIH grant explores how the body's cellular quality control systems work together to prevent disease at the molecular level.
-
Atypical carbapenem antibiotics for hard-to-treat mycobacterial infections
Researchers are creating and testing new carbapenem antibiotics to better treat tuberculosis and other difficult mycobacterial infections.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.