Actin Filament Modeling in Low-Res Cryo-ET with Deep Learning
Official title: Robust Actin Filament Modeling in Low-Resolution Cryo-ET Images Using Advanced Deep Learning and Algorithmic Techniques
Funded at Georgia Southern University · NIH-11423763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new imaging approach uses advanced computer methods to map actin filaments in cancer cells, with the goal of understanding how the cytoskeleton contributes to cancer spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Southern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Statesboro, United States) |
| Project start | July 16, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $142,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R16GM165753-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancer or related conditions whose tumor or cell samples could be analyzed using cryo-ET may indirectly benefit from improved understanding of actin-related biology.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without cancer or related pathology are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to build an integrated computational workflow that enhances cryo-ET images, accurately tracing actin filaments within cells. By combining filament-focused image processing, deep learning, and geometry-aware reconstruction, the team hopes to reveal quantitative details about actin networks in their native state. The research is designed to be applicable to cancers and may illuminate how changes in actin structure relate to tumor progression and metastasis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could provide clearer molecular pictures of cancer cell machinery, potentially guiding new therapeutic or diagnostic approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that advanced image analysis can improve structural insights from cryo-ET, but this project seeks to make it specifically robust for actin networks in cancer contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sazzed, Salim — Georgia Southern University
- Study coordinator: Sazzed, Salim
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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.