Bioluminescent sensors to watch and control cell signaling and division
Official title: Sensing and controlling cell signaling events with bioluminescent kinase sensors and gene circuits
Funded at Central Michigan University · NIH-11323233 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A bioscience project to create glowing sensors that watch how growth signals and the cell cycle control cells, with the goal of guiding future therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Central Michigan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Mount Pleasant, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $181,810 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM156968-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323233 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly in this phase; findings may eventually inform therapies for conditions involving cell signaling and growth.
✕Less likely to help
No direct benefit to patients in the current basic-science work.
What this research studies
This project will develop bioluminescent kinase sensors to monitor key cell signaling events in real time, starting with growth factor signaling and cell cycle progression. The sensors aim to give researchers non-invasive, real-time readouts of how cells respond to signals and when they decide to divide. The work involves designing sensor proteins, validating them in cell culture, and demonstrating how they can reveal the timing and coordination of signaling pathways related to health and disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these sensors could improve our understanding of how cells respond to growth signals and regulate division, potentially informing future treatments for diseases where signaling goes awry.
How similar studies have gone: Similar bioluminescent sensors have advanced our understanding of signaling; this project builds on that approach to monitor additional pathways.
Where this research is happening
-
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Petersen, Eric David — Central Michigan University
- Study coordinator: Petersen, Eric David
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.