Detailed protein maps of cancer cells using advanced capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry
Advancing top-down proteomics with capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry
This project develops lab methods to read whole proteins in individual human cancer cells to help find protein markers tied to colorectal cancer and early development.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11317183 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are improving a lab tool called capillary electrophoresis–mass spectrometry (CE‑MS) to identify intact proteins, protein variants (proteoforms), and complexes down to the level of single cells. They plan to create a first proteoform atlas of a human cancer cell line (HeLa) and then apply the methods to colorectal cancer cell lines and tumor samples to look for proteoforms linked to metastasis. The team will also use the techniques to study how specific proteins and proteoforms influence early embryonic cell differentiation. Most work is laboratory-based using human-derived cells and tumor specimens rather than testing a treatment in patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with colorectal cancer who can provide tumor tissue or biopsy samples (for example during surgery) would be the most relevant candidates to contribute samples.
Not a fit: People without cancer or those with cancer types unrelated to colorectal disease are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal new protein markers to detect or track colorectal cancer spread and suggest more precise targets for future therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Top-down and single-cell proteomics are emerging with promising early results, but producing comprehensive proteoform atlases and routine single-cell measurements remains novel and experimentally challenging.
Where this research is happening
East Lansing, United States
- Michigan State University — East Lansing, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sun, Liangliang — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Sun, Liangliang
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.