Creating new drugs that target specific protein functions in cancer treatment
Official title: Ensemble Networks for Allosteric Drug Design
Funded at Wesleyan University · NIH-10203327 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring new types of cancer drugs that work by changing how proteins behave, with the goal of creating treatments that are more precise and effective for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wesleyan University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Middletown, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2018 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2021 |
| Award (this year) | $492,900 |
| NIH project number | 2R15GM128102-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10203327 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with cancers that involve the p53 protein, which is commonly mutated in various malignancies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers not involving the p53 protein or those who are not eligible for experimental drug therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing allosteric drugs, which are a new class of therapeutics designed to modulate protein functions, particularly in cancer. The team aims to understand how allosteric effectors select specific conformational states of proteins, which is crucial for designing effective drugs. By using advanced computational methods, they will map the energy landscape of proteins to identify how these drugs can influence their activity. This approach could lead to more targeted and effective cancer treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of more effective cancer therapies that specifically target and restore the function of malfunctioning proteins.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using computational methods for drug design, indicating that this approach could lead to significant advancements in cancer treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
Wesleyan University
Middletown, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thayer, Kelly Marie — Wesleyan University
- Study coordinator: Thayer, Kelly Marie
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.