Systems-level view of how a fruit-fly signaling module controls cell fate
Official title: Systems-level Analysis of Dynamics and Regulation of the Drosophila NF-kappaB/Dorsal Signaling Module
Funded at Texas Engineering Experiment Station · NIH-11396443 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team will study how a specific signaling system in fruit flies carefully controls when and where cells decide what to become, using advanced imaging and computer models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Engineering Experiment Station NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $320,023 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM151409-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396443 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients; basic research in fruit-fly biology.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement in this basic science project.
What this research studies
This project combines precise imaging of living cells with computational modeling to map how the NF-kappaB/Dorsal signaling module patterns the early Drosophila embryo. Researchers will measure protein levels, locations, and interactions over time to build a predictive model of how the gradient forms and how negative feedback speeds up responses. The work aims to reveal how cells interpret signals during early development and how rapid, accurate patterning is achieved. The findings could illuminate general principles of signaling dynamics that apply to other organisms and developmental processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding fundamental signaling dynamics could eventually inform approaches to regulate cell fate decisions in health and disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in signaling dynamics and quantitative imaging supports the feasibility of this approach, with potential for novel insights in this system.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Engineering Experiment Station
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reeves, Gregory T — Texas Engineering Experiment Station
- Study coordinator: Reeves, Gregory T
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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.