URIs_MOMENTUM_Research_and_Innovation_Magazine_Spring_2024_M

“Every time we answer a question, we end up with a new one, which is exciting.”

- Kathryn Ramsey

Ramsey hopes that understanding why there are three different versions of bS21 in Francisella tularensis will unlock whether it is a regulator in other bacteria as well. Ramsey’s lab is currently funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (R35) grant. This is the first R35 grant awarded to URI. Rather than funding a particular project, the $1.9 million, five-year grant funds all of her research that falls within the scope of the funding institute, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). This means that she can pursue the most interesting and impactful areas of research, even if it expands beyond the original plans in the grant. In addition to studying ribosomes in Francisella tularensis , Ramsey also plans to examine bS21 in E. coli as it seems to play an important role in the

bacteria’s ability to live. This unique ribosomal protein, if missing, also makes the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus more resistant to antibiotics, a phenomenon which the URI assistant professor plans to examine further. “In E. coli , maybe it’s controlling a certain gene,” she says. “And in staph, these are antibiotics that disrupt the envelope of the bacteria, so why would changing the ribosomes change the cell envelope? The idea is that changing the ribosome composition might change the factors involved in cell wall synthesis, so it’s a regulator of these outcomes.” The beauty of the NIH grant is that as Ramsey and her lab begin uncovering answers to these questions, they’ll have the funding and freedom to pursue new ones. “Every time we answer a question, we end up with a new one, which is exciting,” she says.

THE BEAUTY OF THE NIH GRANT IS THAT AS RAMSEY AND HER LAB BEGIN UNCOVERING ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, THEY’LL HAVE THE FUNDING AND FREEDOM TO PURSUE NEW ONES.

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