POTSDAM -- A Clarkson biology professor was awarded nearly $350,000 by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health to investigate an evolutionarily conserved RNA modification enzyme in fruit flies and zebrafish.

Cintia Hongay’s research project is titled “Elucidating the essential role of the evolutionarily conserved IME4 mRNA methyltransferase in metazoan development.

Simply put, her exploration involves the effects of the RNA-modifying enzyme in development, which Hongay showed to be essential for the life cycle in fruit flies, and how this enzyme controls the commitment to different cell differentiation paths. Hongay has studied this gene in yeast, fruit flies, and zebrafish as groundwork to understanding its function in humans.

“It is a very powerful enzyme for development, and it's present in humans and mice, and other organisms,” she says. “I feel validated, as my research is being recognized by my peers and the NIH. I started my work when this enzyme was not very popular. Nowadays, powerful labs are studying this enzyme, so I have very strong competition.”

Her grant, which is scheduled to begin this month, has the potential to enable her to hire a minority graduate student to assist in the project. She is working with Director of the Community of Underrepresented Professional Opportunities Marjorie Warden in publicizing this opportunity that will help diversify the Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Biotechnology Ph.D. program.

“It is very important for academia to have more women and minorities represented, and it will be good for Clarkson to have a student gain this experience. A diversity supplement to my grant means that the student awarded will have more time to concentrate on research,” she said.

Hongay’s approach to deciphering the biological role of this enzyme in metazoan development is multidisciplinary. She is collaborating with colleagues Associate Professor of Biology Ken Wallace, who uses zebrafish as a research model, and Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biomolecular Science Costel Darie, who has expertise in proteomics. She is also collaborating with Microscopy Specialist Jill Pflugheber at Saint Lawrence University.

Given the evolutionary conservation of IME4, what we learn from fruit flies and zebrafish could inform research in mice and other organisms, and our work can move the field forward much faster,” she adds. “We can understand developmental syndromes due to this enzyme, and since its role in adults seems to be confined to the gonads, it could be developed into a target for a new method of contraception someday.”

Hongay received her bachelor of science degree summa cum laude from Suffolk University and her Ph.D. from Harvard University. She joined the Department of Biology at Clarkson in 2011.