How cancer cell receptors send different signals to find new treatments
Understanding biased agonism in receptor tyrosine kinases to devise new modalities for their targeting in cancer
This project explores whether changing the timing of signals from certain cancer-cell receptors can point to new treatment approaches for people with tumors driven by those receptors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11245725 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team is watching single receptor molecules inside living cells to see how long they stay active after being turned on. They will use advanced microscopy and biochemistry to compare how different receptor-activating proteins produce distinct signaling ‘lifetimes’ and outcomes. The work focuses on receptor tyrosine kinases, a family of receptors often involved in cancer growth. Results aim to link these signaling patterns to ways we might more precisely target tumors in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers known to be driven by receptor tyrosine kinases (for example EGFR-mutant lung cancer or HER2-positive breast cancer) would be most likely to benefit from follow-up therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are not driven by receptor tyrosine kinases or whose conditions are non-cancerous are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic-lab research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new ways to target tumor-driving receptors, potentially leading to more precise cancer drugs with better effects or fewer side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have indirectly suggested kinetic differences in receptor signaling, but directly watching single receptors in living cells to link timing to outcomes is a newer and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- Vanderbilt University — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mudumbi, Krishna Chaitanya — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Mudumbi, Krishna Chaitanya
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.