Paul Langridge, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Augusta University’s College of Science and Mathematics, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award. The award is considered the NSF’s most prestigious recognition for early-career faculty who show potential as academic leaders in research and education.
“Dr. Langridge’s NSF CAREER award recognizes early career scientists who have the potential to lead advances in their field and are doing exceptional work in research and education,” said Brad Olson, PhD, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences.
Langridge’s research examines how disintegrin and metalloproteinase proteases interact with surface proteins to enable cell-to-cell communication. Problems with these signaling pathways can result in developmental disorders, neurological diseases, or cancer.
“Cell communication is essential for virtually every aspect of life,” Langridge said. “From guiding developing neurons to their proper destinations to regulating cell division in cancer, these signaling pathways control some of the most important biological processes.”
His laboratory uses fruit flies (drosophila) as a model system to study these processes. Langridge highlighted that findings from fruit fly studies often apply directly to human biology due to similarities in basic cellular mechanisms.
“What we discover in fruit flies often translates directly to human biology,” Langridge said. “Fruit flies offer us a powerful system to study these complex processes in an animal, allowing us to understand the basic principles that govern cell communication. In fact, most of what we know about the mechanisms governing the pathways we are interested in comes from research in flies.”
The advantages of using fruit flies include cost-effectiveness, rapid development cycles, well-understood genetics, and tools for gene manipulation. These benefits extend not only to researchers but also provide learning opportunities for students.
Langridge plans to use his NSF award funding to develop advanced courses focused on cell signaling research for students at Augusta University.
“Not only is this cutting-edge research, but Dr. Langridge will be integrating undergraduate students into this research with collaboration with the Augusta University Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship, providing an exceptional opportunity for AU students,” Olson said.
“CURS will allow students to move beyond textbook learning and actually engineer biological systems,” said Langridge. “They’ll use the principles of cell communication to build new signaling pathways, giving them hands-on experience with the same concepts that drive the lab’s research.”
The educational outreach associated with the CAREER Award includes partnerships beyond Augusta University. Langridge’s lab will work with the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences on public events designed to explain fruit fly research and its relevance. The program aims both to strengthen student laboratory skills through authentic research experiences and make scientific topics more accessible for community members.
