# Development of functional synthetic biomolecular condensates.

> **NIH NIH R35** · COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE · 2021 · $394,480

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Membraneless organelles, or biomolecular condensates, have emerged as a strategy to organize the contents
of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. These phase separated compartments play key roles in a range of cellular
functions – from signaling to tuning metabolic pathways or controlling gene expression – yet there are still
questions about the fundamental mechanisms for their formation, dynamics, and function. The relationship
between condensate molecular properties and function is not yet understood, but this could provide an avenue
to treat diseases that involve dysregulated protein condensates (neurodegeneration, cataracts, cancer). Our
research proposes to develop functional synthetic biomolecular condensates in order to address several over-
arching questions: How do specific intermolecular interactions (electrostatic, cation-π, etc.) contribute to protein
phase transitions? How do protein sequence and structure influence the physical properties and function of the
condensed phase? Is there a connection between the materials properties and the function of biomolecular
condensates? Semi-synthetic biomolecular condensates will allow us to evaluate how molecular interactions in
the condensed phase contribute not only to the dynamics of the phase but also to small and macromolecule
partitioning, and ultimately the function of endogenous biomolecular condensates. The goals of the proposed
research program are to create enzymatically active synthetic membraneless organelles in vitro and in vivo. New
materials with varied chemical environments will be prepared and new methods for imaging protein condensates
at the molecular scale will be established. These advances will help us to understand how protein sequence
influences function at both the microscale (e.g. of an individual enzyme) and the mesoscale (e.g. of a condensed
phase cellular compartment). Engineering orthogonal biomolecular condensates has the potential to impact our
understanding of the function of native biomolecular condensates and provide a synthetic biology platform to
artificially regulate information flow in the cell.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10242914
- **Project number:** 5R35GM138378-02
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIV NEW YORK MORNINGSIDE
- **Principal Investigator:** Allie C Obermeyer
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $394,480
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10242914

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10242914, Development of functional synthetic biomolecular condensates. (5R35GM138378-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10242914. Licensed CC0.

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