Cell enzymes (kinases) as new treatment targets for endometriosis
Official title: Kinases as Therapeutic Targets for Endometriosis
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11319871 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team is seeing whether blocking certain cell enzymes called kinases could lead to new medicines for people with endometriosis.
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 start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $687,714 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD110038-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319871 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with diagnosed endometriosis who might donate tissue during surgery or join future clinical trials of new drug candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without endometriosis or those seeking immediate symptom relief should not expect direct benefit from this lab-focused discovery work.
What this research studies
If you have endometriosis, researchers will use tissue and cells taken from women to study enzymes called kinases that are more active in endometriosis lesions. They will turn off those enzymes in lab-grown cells and organoids and test existing small drugs that target them. The team will also search for new drug-like molecules using a DNA-encoded chemistry method and then refine promising compounds in lab and animal tests. This work aims to identify drug candidates that could move into future clinical trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new targeted drugs that reduce endometriosis lesions and symptoms like pelvic pain.
How similar studies have gone: Kinase-blocking drugs have helped other diseases and early lab studies support kinases as promising targets in endometriosis, but identifying new inhibitors with DEC-Tec for this condition is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Matzuk, Martin M. — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Matzuk, Martin M.
Related research
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Molecular clues to endometriosis-related infertility
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Hormonal Influences on Inflammation in Endometriosis
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How genes influence endometriosis in women of different racial and ethnic backgrounds
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CXCR4 methylation in endometriosis and its role as an early biomarker and non-hormonal therapy target
This project explores how changes in CXCR4 gene regulation may help diagnose endometriosis earlier and point toward non-hormonal treatments for the condition.
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.