Creating a new platform to quickly test protein variations for useful applications
Official title: Development of a high throughput platform for screening directed evolution libraries
Funded at University of California Santa Cruz · NIH-10990473 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new way to quickly create and test lots of different proteins to find ones that could lead to better treatments or products, which might help patients in the future.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $65,926 |
| NIH project number | 3R21GM148870-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10990473 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals with conditions that could be treated with novel proteins or therapies developed through this technology.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not involve protein-based therapies or those not related to the biochemical applications of this research may not receive any benefit.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a high throughput platform that enhances the process of directed evolution, which is a method used to create proteins with specific desired traits. By generating and screening thousands of protein variants efficiently, the research aims to overcome current limitations in identifying valuable biochemical products. The approach involves using advanced analytical techniques like high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry to evaluate the effectiveness of these protein variants. Patients may benefit indirectly through the development of new therapies or industrial applications derived from these proteins.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the creation of new and more effective therapies or products that improve patient care and treatment options.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success with high throughput screening methods in protein engineering, indicating that this approach has potential for significant advancements.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sanchez, Laura Margaret — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Sanchez, Laura Margaret
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Unlocking the full power of long-read DNA sequencing
A science team is improving long-read sequencing tools so researchers can get complete gene and transcript information from human and mouse tissues with easier, high-accuracy methods.
-
Protein–RNA interactions in cancer
A study to understand how a protein called IGF2BP3 affects RNA and metabolism in cancers, including high-risk acute leukemia.
-
Mess-free detection: a robust, antibody-free platform for multiplexed protein tests
This grant explores a new, highly stable designer protein and luciferase system to detect proteins at the point of care without antibodies, using multiple signals for better diagnostics.
-
Understanding how jellyfish eyes develop and regrow to learn about regeneration
Scientists are studying jellyfish to map how their eyes form and repair themselves, hoping to uncover clues that could someday help human medicine.
-
Understanding how variant histones influence cancer-related chromatin behavior
This NIH grant will map how histone variants interact with other proteins to influence chromatin and cancer-related processes.
-
New ways to compare thousands of human and vertebrate genomes
Aims to build scalable genome comparison tools and new formats to analyze genomes from thousands of species, with a focus on human and neurodevelopmental regions relevant to autism.
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.