How cell membranes communicate during development and disease
Composition and Function of Membrane Contact Sites in Differentiation and Disease
This work looks at how parts inside cells exchange fats, ions, and proteins as stem cells become nerve or muscle cells, which could help people with metabolic or neurodegenerative conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321189 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists will use advanced multispectral imaging to watch organelles and the contact points between them as stem cells turn into neurons or skeletal muscle. They will map the proteins and lipids at those membrane contact sites and run lab experiments to test how those contacts change during differentiation. A focused line of work will study how lipid droplets connect to other organelles and how that affects cell function. The team aims to find common patterns and cell-type specific changes that might link contact-site defects to disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People affected by metabolic disorders or neurodegenerative diseases would be the most relevant group if these lab findings progress to human studies, though current work is laboratory-based.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical care are unlikely to benefit now because this is basic lab research on cells and organelles.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal new cellular targets that eventually lead to therapies or diagnostics for metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cell and animal studies have tied membrane contact sites to metabolism and neurodegeneration, but many specific contact sites and mechanisms remain novel and underexplored.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Sarah — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Sarah
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.