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CAREER: Exploring New Gene Emergence and Functional Innovation through the Genetic Origins — NSF Award to University of Arkansas (

This CAREER project will investigate one of biology’s most fundamental questions: how entirely new genes with novel biological functions arise and help organisms adapt to challenging environments. The project uses fish antifreeze proteins, molecules that allow some fishes to survive in icy seawater, as a window into ho

Award titleCAREER: Exploring New Gene Emergence and Functional Innovation through the Genetic Origins
Award ID2539529
AwardeeUniversity of Arkansas
CityFAYETTEVILLE
StateAR
Amount obligated$1,079,060
Principal investigatorXuan Zhuang
ProgramEvo Patterns & Processes
Start date07/01/2026
AbstractThis CAREER project will investigate one of biology’s most fundamental questions: how entirely new genes with novel biological functions arise and help organisms adapt to challenging environments. The project uses fish antifreeze proteins, molecules that allow some fishes to survive in icy seawater, as a window into how evolution repeatedly solves the same problem through different genetic routes. By revealing how genomes generate new functions, the work will advance basic knowledge in evolution
SourceNSF Awards

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