Genetic and Biophysical Insights into How Signals Move Between Cells
Official title: Genetic and Biophysical Analysis of Morphogen Gradient Formation
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11583759 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how signaling molecules travel through the body's scaffolding to reach their targets, using advanced imaging and cell cultures to understand movement in a key developmental system.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00GM151487-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11583759 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient recruitment in its current form; focused on basic mechanisms in cell culture and imaging.
✕Less likely to help
No immediate patient-specific procedures or trials are described.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how signaling proteins move through the extracellular matrix using single-molecule microscopy and cultured cells. They will examine how genetic variations in signaling components and in the surrounding matrix influence diffusion and communication between cells. The project aims to uncover the rules that determine how far and how fast signals like Sonic Hedgehog can travel during development and immune responses. Findings could illuminate why signaling goes wrong in disease and point toward new ways to influence cell communication.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better understanding of cellular communication could lead to new approaches for developmental disorders and immune-related diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in cell signaling and diffusion provides a foundation, but this project applies a novel single-molecule approach to extracellular signaling.
Where this research is happening
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Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schlissel, Gavin S — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Schlissel, Gavin S
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.