NIH-funded research NIH-funded research

Developing new methods to create drugs that can target difficult proteins.

Official title: Pharmacokinetics-Based DNA-Encoded Library Screening

Funded at San Diego State University · NIH-11229276 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is exploring new ways to create drugs that can better target tough-to-reach proteins in the body, which could lead to more effective treatments for diseases like viral infections, helping patients find relief from their conditions.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionSan Diego State University
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (San Diego, United States)
Project startApril 1, 2023
Project endNovember 30, 2027
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$248,988
NIH project number4R00GM149941-03
Project IDNIH-11229276 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates for this research are patients with conditions related to viral infections or diseases involving challenging protein interactions.

Less likely to help

Patients with conditions that do not involve protein-protein interactions or those who are not affected by viral infections may not benefit from this research.

What this research studies

This research focuses on creating innovative technologies to design new types of drugs, specifically cyclic peptides, which can target proteins that are typically hard to reach with conventional medications. By using a high-throughput screening method, the researchers aim to identify which cyclic peptides can effectively penetrate cell membranes. This approach could lead to the discovery of new treatments for diseases caused by challenging protein interactions, such as those seen in viral infections. Patients may benefit from more effective therapies that target previously undruggable proteins.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of new drugs that effectively treat diseases caused by difficult-to-target proteins.

How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using similar high-throughput screening methods to identify effective drug candidates, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable results.

Where this research is happening

  • San Diego State University
    San Diego, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Hu, Juan — San Diego State University
  • Study coordinator: Hu, Juan

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

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.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.