NEWS

Two proposals have been selected for NM EPSCoR RIO-NM Seed Award funding, with each project receiving $50,000 to support transformative research and capacity building. The first project, led by PI Jiakai Zhang and co-PI Jun Zheng at New Mexico Tech, will create New Mexico’s first high-resolution Economic Development Index—providing state decision-makers with improved data to inform policy and infrastructure planning. The second project, out of New Mexico Highlands University, is led by PI Nabanita Sakia and explores how certain plant compounds disrupt toxic molecular formations associated with Huntington’s disease.

2025 RIO-NM Seed Award Recipients

Mapping Economic Development in New Mexico Through Cyberinfrastructure-Enabled Remote Sensing and AI

PI: Jiakai Zhang, NMT
Co-PI: Jun Zheng, NMT
Amount: $50,000

This project addresses critical data gaps in economic measurement by integrating satellite imagery, nighttime lights, and AI modeling to create New Mexico’s first high-resolution Economic Development Index. Traditional surveys often fail to capture detailed data in rural and tribal areas, while satellite observations alone lack socioeconomic context. To address this, we will develop AI models that analyze road networks, land use patterns, and nighttime light to predict economic indicators (e.g., income and employment) where survey data are sparse, validating these estimates against existing census data. These predictions, combined with current datasets, support the construction of a new index using graph neural networks to quantify development levels across New Mexico. We will use a dynamic web platform built with ArcGIS StoryMaps to visualize these indicators, helping policymakers and community leaders identify disparities and guide investments in infrastructure, broadband, and job creation. The project also strengthens New Mexico’s tech workforce by hosting a hands-on workshop in AI and geospatial analytics for undergraduates.

Mismatch Binding Molecules as Therapeutic Agents for Repeat Expansion Neurodegenerative Diseases

PI: Nabanita Sakia, NMHU
Amount: $50,000

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by aberrant expansions of cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) trinucleotide repeats in the huntingtin gene. These expansions lead to the formation of extended RNA hairpins containing adenine-adenine (A·A) mismatches, contributing to RNA misfolding and toxic gain-of-function. This proposal investigates the therapeutic potential of dietary flavonoids-naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds with known antioxidant and neuroprotective properties, as small-molecule inhibitors that selectively recognize mismatches in r(CAG)n repeats. The central hypothesis is that specific flavonoids can destabilize toxic RNA secondary structures by binding selectively to A·A mismatches through hydrogen bonding, π-stacking, and/or base intercalation.

The project will strengthen computational biophysics research at New Mexico Highlands University and provide training to undergraduate students from underrepresented groups. The findings will foster experimental collaborations across New Mexico’s academic institutions and inform novel therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

2026 Seed Award Solicitation Open

RIO-NM is accepting Seed Award Statements of Interest for the 2026 funding cycle with a deadline of January 23, 2026. The program strengthens research capacity and student engagement across New Mexico’s academic institutions by funding equipment, supplies, student research, and travel, with the goal of boosting competitiveness for external funding and expanding access to meaningful research experiences statewide. 

Key Information

Full solicitation: https://www.nmepscor.org/research-funding/seed-awards

Statement of Interest Deadline: January 23, 2026 (required) 

Full Proposal Deadline: March 1, 2026 (by invitation only) 

Estimated number of awards: Up to four awards will be funded based on proposal quality and available funding

Maximum funding per award: $50,000 (including indirect costs)

Anticipated start date: May 1, 2026

Duration: 12 months

Eligibility
Faculty from New Mexico’s primarily undergraduate institutions, including two-year colleges, four-year comprehensive institutions, and branch campuses, as well as universities such as the University of New Mexico, New Mexico State University, New Mexico Tech, and Navajo Tech are eligible to apply. Current or previous participation in an NM EPSCoR-funded project is not required.

Support Available
Faculty interested in applying are encouraged to contact NM EPSCoR Associate Director Selena Connealy at 505-217-5605 or connealy@epscor.unm.edu