Chemistry and structure studies of energy balance in cancer and metabolic diseases
Official title: Chemical and Structural Approaches to Study Energy Homeostasis Pathways in Cancer and Metabolic disorders
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11529336 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how energy and protein balance affect diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer using chemistry and structural biology.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2017 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,082 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM124838-10S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11529336 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates may include individuals at risk for or living with Alzheimer’s disease or cancer, who could benefit from advances in targeted metabolic interventions.
✕Less likely to help
People not connected to Alzheimer’s, cancer, or metabolic disorders may not directly benefit from this work.
What this research studies
The project uses chemical biology and structural biology to explore how cells manage energy and nutrients in diseases such as Alzheimer's and cancer. It includes work on ULK autophagy kinases, lysine metabolism disorders, and metabolic sensors, using crystallography and chemical probes. Over five years, the team aims to deepen understanding of autophagy pathways and identify targeted tools to study them in disease models. This could lead to new ways to influence disease-related energy regulation at the cellular level.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could yield new molecular tools and insights that help develop therapies targeting energy balance in Alzheimer’s and cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using structural biology and chemical probes have provided novel insights into autophagy regulation and metabolic enzymes, with promising early results.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lazarus, Michael Block — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Lazarus, Michael Block
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.