3D protein mapping in single cancer cells
3D Proteomics at Single Cell Resolution with Covalent Protein Painting (CPP)
This project develops a lab method to map the 3D shapes and interactions of proteins inside individual cancer cells to help researchers understand tumor biology.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169816 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are making a new version of a chemical labeling technique called Covalent Protein Painting to read protein shapes in single cells using mass spectrometry. They will improve how samples are prepared and analyzed so they can measure which parts of proteins are exposed or hidden (lysine site accessibility) in individual tumor cells. The team will add a labeling strategy (bioTMT-CPP-SCP) to directly compare 3D proteomes across cells and detect differences in protein conformation and protein-protein interactions. This work is laboratory-based and aims to reveal molecular details that could guide future cancer diagnostics and treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people with cancer who are willing to provide tumor tissue or other biospecimens for proteomic analysis or to take part in future translational studies stemming from this work.
Not a fit: People without cancer or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory method development at this stage.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could uncover new protein features and targets that explain treatment resistance and guide development of more precise cancer therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Related protein-footprinting and proteomics approaches have shown promise in characterizing protein structure, but true single-cell 3D proteomics is a newer and still-developing area.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Scripps Research Institute, the — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yates Iii, John R — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Yates Iii, John R
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.