Creating new treatments for a severe childhood metabolic disease

Developing the first TPI Df therapeutics

NIH-funded research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11063814

This study is looking for new treatments for children with Triosephosphate Isomerase Deficiency, a condition that can cause serious health issues, by testing different compounds to see if they can help stabilize a faulty protein in the body.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Pittsburgh, United States)
Project IDNIH-11063814 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on developing therapies for Triosephosphate Isomerase Deficiency (TPI Df), a serious metabolic disorder in children that leads to anemia, paralysis, and brain damage. The team has created a human cellular model to study the disease and is using high-throughput screening to identify compounds that can stabilize the mutant TPI protein. By validating these compounds in patient cells and animal models, the researchers aim to discover effective treatments that could eventually lead to clinical trials.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are children diagnosed with Triosephosphate Isomerase Deficiency.

Not a fit: Patients with other metabolic disorders unrelated to TPI Df may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the first effective treatments for TPI Df, significantly improving the quality of life and outcomes for affected children.

How similar studies have performed: While the approach is innovative, there is potential for success as similar high-throughput screening methods have been effective in developing treatments for other metabolic diseases.

Where this research is happening

Pittsburgh, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired brain injury
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.