Creating highly effective antibodies for studying individual cells
Official title: Development of ultra-efficient antibodies for single cell mapping applications
Funded at Epicypher, INC. · NIH-11039937 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on creating special antibodies that help scientists better understand how tiny changes in proteins called histones affect diseases, especially in rare cells, which could lead to new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Sbir 2 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Epicypher, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 10, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,004,302 |
| NIH project number | 5R44AI174357-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11039937 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with diseases linked to alterations in histone PTMs, particularly those with rare or heterogeneous cell populations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to histone modifications or those not represented in single-cell analyses may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a new class of antibodies designed to enhance the study of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) in single cells. By utilizing a novel antibody development pipeline, the project aims to create ultra-efficient antibodies that can bind specifically to histone PTMs, which are crucial for understanding various diseases. The approach involves using a technique called CUT&Tag, which allows for genomic mapping with minimal cell input, making it possible to analyze rare cell populations. This could significantly improve drug discovery efforts by providing insights into the epigenetic landscape of diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments by enabling better understanding of disease mechanisms at the single-cell level.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using antibody-mediated genomic mapping techniques, but the development of ultra-efficient antibodies for single-cell applications is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Epicypher, INC.
Research Triangle Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Johnstone, Andrea Lynn — Epicypher, INC.
- Study coordinator: Johnstone, Andrea Lynn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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New tools to map and measure epigenetic changes in aging and Alzheimer's disease
A small grant is funding new methods to find and measure combinations of chemical tags on histones that change with aging and Alzheimer’s disease, helping identify targets and biomarkers.
-
Mapping how drugs bind to chromatin to speed new therapies
A new test will map where small drug molecules touch chromatin in human cells to help design better, safer epigenetic drugs.
-
New tools to study how asymmetric histone tweaks control gene activity
A new NIH grant aims to create designer nucleosomes with asymmetric modifications to better understand how gene regulation is influenced by the histone code, which could lead to better biomarkers and therapies for cancer.
-
Epigenomic profiling of cell-free nucleosomes in plasma cancer research
A new test platform analyzes the tiny pieces of DNA wrapped around proteins in blood to help identify cancer signals.
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Scalable single-molecule chromatin accessibility profiling in immune cells
A new approach aims to map which parts of the genome are accessible and which proteins bind them in immune cells, using advanced sequencing on a scale that could reveal detailed cell-by-cell information.
-
A New Way to Map DNA Structures Linked to Alzheimer's and Aging
This project is creating a new and more accurate way to map special DNA structures called R-loops, which are connected to aging and brain diseases like Alzheimer's.
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.