Creating Better Tools to Understand Cell Signals and Disease
High-Throughput Platforms to Study Synthetic Receptors, Natural Molecules, and New Pathway Inhibitors
This project is building advanced tools to quickly create and test new molecules that can help us understand how cells communicate and how diseases develop.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11116906 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our cells rely on complex signals to function properly, and problems with these signals can lead to many diseases. Currently, it's difficult to quickly develop and test new molecules that can influence these cell signals. This project aims to create new, fast methods to engineer special proteins and molecules that can either block or activate cell communication pathways. By doing so, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of how these signals work in both healthy and diseased states.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational work is not directly recruiting patients but aims to benefit those affected by diseases linked to cell signaling problems or DNA mutations in the future.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment options would not directly benefit from this early-stage platform development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the discovery of new ways to target specific disease processes by controlling cell communication, potentially paving the way for new treatments.
How similar studies have performed: While protein engineering is an active field, this project proposes novel high-throughput platforms to integrate protein function as a selective pressure, which is a less explored approach.
Where this research is happening
Tampa, United States
- University of South Florida — Tampa, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stern, Lawrence a — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Stern, Lawrence a
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 below.