Hedgehog signaling and its role in growth, metabolism, and cancer
Hedgehog Signaling in Development and Metabolism
Researchers are looking at how the Hedgehog signaling system controls cell growth and how glitches in it can lead to cancers like basal cell carcinoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11269177 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the team will run lab experiments using genetic and biochemical tools to see how the Patched and Smoothened proteins send signals inside cells. They will study chemical tags on proteins (like phosphorylation, sumoylation, and ubiquitination) and how certain lipids help or block Smoothened’s activity. Much of the work uses cells and model systems to map the exact steps that make cells grow, divide, or stop. Learning these steps could point to new targets for drugs aimed at cancers driven by this pathway.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with cancers known to involve Hedgehog signaling—such as basal cell carcinoma or some medulloblastomas—would be most relevant to follow this research or consider future trials.
Not a fit: People with conditions not related to Hedgehog signaling or who need immediate clinical care should not expect direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets that lead to better treatments for cancers caused by overactive Hedgehog signaling.
How similar studies have performed: Drugs that block Smoothened have helped some patients with Hedgehog-driven cancers, but resistance and missing regulatory details remain, so this lab program builds on those successes while exploring newer, less-tested mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
Lexington, United States
- University of Kentucky — Lexington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jia, Jianhang — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Jia, Jianhang
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.