Stress-tolerant annual killifish as a model for how cells respond to stress
Official title: Stress tolerant annual killifish: a new model for the cellular stress response
Funded at St. Olaf College · NIH-11375941 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at a college is using a tiny fish that can survive long periods without air to study how cells control protein production during stress, with potential insights for human health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Olaf College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Northfield, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $243,705 |
| NIH project number | 5R00GM148723-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375941 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable in this basic science grant; no patient enrollment is planned.
✕Less likely to help
This research does not involve patient participation or direct patient interventions.
What this research studies
This project develops a naturally stress-tolerant fish as a living model to study the cellular stress response, focusing on how cells reduce overall protein production while activating stress-related genes. It will explore the role of stress granules and small non-coding RNAs in regulating gene expression during environmental stress. By analyzing these processes in cells from Austrofundulus limnaeus embryos, the study aims to uncover mechanisms that could inform new therapeutic strategies for diseases linked to cellular stress.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding stress responses at the cellular level could lead to new approaches for treating conditions where stress signaling goes awry, such as brain and heart injuries.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest unique SG and ncRNA biology in this species, indicating potential for new discoveries.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Olaf College
Northfield, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Riggs, Claire L — St. Olaf College
- Study coordinator: Riggs, Claire L
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.