How cell machines build ribosomes
Molecular mechanisms of ribosome biogenesis by force-producing enzymes
This project looks at how energy‑using enzymes help human cells build ribosomes, which could matter for people with certain cancers and ribosomopathies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Newark, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251217 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have cancer or a ribosomopathy, this project recreates steps of human ribosome assembly in the lab to see how ATP‑powered "mechanoenzymes" (especially AAA family ATPases) change shape and generate force to build mature ribosomes. The team will use single‑molecule optical tweezers and purified biochemical components to measure enzyme actions and reconstitute assembly reactions in vitro. The focus on human proteins rather than yeast aims to explain why ribosome production is altered in disease. Over five years they plan to turn those mechanistic insights into assays that could guide new treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers characterized by increased ribosome production and individuals with inherited ribosomopathies would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without cancers or ribosomopathies and those seeking immediate clinical therapies are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to new drug targets or diagnostic assays for cancers and ribosomopathies by revealing how ribosome assembly goes wrong.
How similar studies have performed: Most prior studies used yeast models, so applying single‑molecule techniques and human‑protein reconstitution is relatively novel though built on established biochemical methods.
Where this research is happening
Newark, UNITED STATES
- Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences — Newark, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mickolajczyk, Keith Joseph — Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mickolajczyk, Keith Joseph
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.