Chemical ways to study how body peptides talk to cells in disease
Official title: Chemical approaches to interrogate endogenous cell-cell signaling peptides in disease
Funded at University of Nebraska Lincoln · NIH-11331180 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will develop chemical tools to map how natural body peptides signal between cells, with potential implications for treating diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Lincoln NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lincoln, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $420,943 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM142784-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11331180 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with diseases where peptide signaling plays a role and who could benefit from future therapies targeting these pathways.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not affected by peptide signaling–related diseases may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to create new chemical methods to map and modulate how endogenous peptides communicate through cell receptors. By combining probe design, peptide chemistry, mass spectrometry, and cell-based studies, the team seeks to reveal how peptide signals influence disease processes. The five-year effort focuses on developing unbiased approaches to detect peptide-receptor interactions directly in cells, with the goal of guiding new therapeutic targets. The work is conducted by a multidisciplinary team at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln who will translate basic chemistry insights into strategies that could inform drug development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could uncover new targets and strategies for therapies that modulate peptide signaling in disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in peptide signaling have shown that chemical probes can reveal receptor interactions, supporting the potential for discovery with this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Lincoln, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Checco, James William — University of Nebraska Lincoln
- Study coordinator: Checco, James William
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.