A new way to see how the body cleans up dying cells
FRET detection and in situ quantification of efferocytosis using designed enzymatic activity
This project aims to create a new technology to understand how our bodies clear away dying cells, which is important for conditions like autoimmune diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11172432 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies constantly clean up dying cells, a process called efferocytosis, which can either help calm inflammation or make it worse. This balance is crucial in many health conditions, including autoimmune diseases. Currently, it's hard to tell exactly how this cleanup process works in different cells and tissues. This project is developing a brand new method to detect and measure this cleanup activity, especially focusing on how DNA from dying cells is handled. We hope this will give us a clearer picture of what goes wrong in diseases where this process is out of balance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational work is relevant to patients with autoimmune diseases or other conditions where the body's cleanup of dying cells plays a role.
Not a fit: Patients without conditions related to immune system regulation or cell cleanup processes may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new technology could help researchers better understand the causes of autoimmune diseases and develop new treatments that target how the body handles dying cells.
How similar studies have performed: This project introduces a new technology, as there is currently no broad-spectrum assay available to detect and quantify efferocytic processing in all cell types.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Didenko, Vladimir V — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Didenko, Vladimir V
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.