Designing smart pro-domains to safely control TGF-β growth factors
Official title: De novo design of pro domains for TGF superfamily folding, expression, and function
Funded at University of Colorado · NIH-11453276 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to create inactive-pro domains for TGF-β growth factors that can be turned on by specific cues, with the goal of safer, more controllable therapies for wound healing, bone regeneration, and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $190,113 |
| NIH project number | 1R21EB038419-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11453276 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be patients who might benefit from future location- or cue-controlled growth factor therapies once these designs prove safe and effective.
✕Less likely to help
Patients would not directly benefit from this early-stage design work until safer therapies are developed and tested in later trials.
What this research studies
This project focuses on reengineering TGF-β family proteins so they stay inactive until triggered by an external signal, reducing risks like unwanted tissue growth or inflammation. It uses computer design tools and generative AI to craft new pro-domains that keep growth factors quiet until the right time and place. The work involves expressing these designed fusion proteins in the lab to test folding, expression, and activation behavior in controlled experiments. If successful, it could pave the way for safer growth-factor therapies with more precise control over when and where they act. The team at the University of Colorado is conducting these studies under an NIH R21 grant to explore feasibility and early proof-of-concept.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from safer, more controllable growth-factor therapies for healing and cancer treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Similar approaches using controlled activation of growth factors are being explored, with early signs of feasibility in design and testing of regulatory mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
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University of Colorado
Boulder, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Whitehead, Timothy Andrew — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Whitehead, Timothy Andrew
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.