# Biophysical mechanism and synthetic engineering of optically-controlled Ca2+- powered supramolecular engines

> **NIH NIH R35** · GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2023 · $249,875

## Abstract

Abstract
The proposed Administrative Supplement to R35GM142588 (MIRA) aims to purchase a FluidFM OMNIUM
CORE instrument to explore the role of RNA in single-cell learning in Spirostomum ambiguum. This cutting-edge
instrument will allow the lab to conduct live RNA sequencing experiments on living cells, enabling the
investigation of single-cell learning without neurons. The purchase of the instrument is justified as it furthers the
aims of the MIRA proposal and has the potential to open up new avenues of research on memory storage and
transfer in aneural organisms, with potential applications in medicine and biotechnology. The proposal has the
potential to introduce new paradigms for "memory molecules" that could be stored, modified, or transferred
between living and synthetic systems. The purchase of the instrument is justified as it furthers the aims of the
MIRA proposal, the need is justified, and the equipment cost is within $250k. The unobligated balance on the
parent R35 MIRA is approximately $90,000, which is not enough to cover the purchase of the instrument.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10797665
- **Project number:** 3R35GM142588-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** SAAD BHAMLA
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $249,875
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2026-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10797665

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10797665, Biophysical mechanism and synthetic engineering of optically-controlled Ca2+- powered supramolecular engines (3R35GM142588-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10797665. Licensed CC0.

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