# Postdoctoral Fellowship: PRFB: Rules of Life: Snake venom as a model for understanding the origins and evolution of gene regulatory networks

> **NSF 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Smith, Sierra N (OK) · $240,000

## Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2024, Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment, and Phenotypes. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will contribute to the area of Rules of Life in innovative ways. The research will use snake venom as a model system to develop hypotheses for how new gene regulatory networks (GRNs) evolve, which will increase our understanding of the ‘rules of life’ that link genomic processes to variation in organismal phenotypes. The project will also utilize cellular variation to test hypotheses for the function of GRN components, which will be applicable to any eukaryotic system. Further, findings from the research will contribute profoundly to advancing our understanding of how snake venom is regulated. The World Health Organization identified snake envenomation as a priority neglected tropical disease and a better understanding of snake venom regulation stands to improve the treatment of snakebite with the potential to impact millions globally.

The overarching goal of the fellow’s research is to use snake venom as a model system to investigate mechanisms underlying the evolution of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that control phenotypic traits. More specifically, the project objectives are to understand how complex traits are regulated, how GRNs arise through the re-wiring of existing physiological and genomic compone

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2410118
- **Awardee organization:** Smith, Sierra N (OK)
- **PI:** Sierra N Smith
- **Primary program:** 01002425DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** —
- **Estimated total:** $240,000
- **Funds obligated:** $240,000
- **Transaction type:** Fellowship Award
- **Period:** 09/01/2025 → 08/31/2028

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2410118

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2410118, Postdoctoral Fellowship: PRFB: Rules of Life: Snake venom as a model for understanding the origins and evolution of gene regulatory networks. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2410118. Licensed CC0.

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