How cell parts cooperate to build the cell's recycling compartments
The crosstalk of organelles involved in autophagosome biogenesis
This project explores how parts inside cells work together to form autophagosomes, the cell's recycling containers, which matters for people with cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Cincinnati NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cincinnati, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11182566 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are watching how cellular compartments fuse and touch to create autophagosomes, the structures cells use to recycle damaged parts. They use purified protein systems in the lab and super-resolution live-cell imaging to see these events in real time. The team focuses on key proteins such as SNAREs, VPS33A, and Atg9 to understand the step-by-step molecular choreography. Learning these details could help scientists find ways to turn autophagy on or off in diseases where it is dysregulated.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with cancer or degenerative neurological disorders who might donate tissue or join future clinical trials aimed at autophagy-related therapies.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to autophagy or who cannot access participating centers are less likely to see direct benefit from this lab-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to control autophagy and lead to treatments for cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cell and animal studies have linked autophagy proteins to disease, but the detailed organelle crosstalk mechanisms this project targets remain relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Cincinnati, United States
- University of Cincinnati — Cincinnati, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Diao, Jiajie — University of Cincinnati
- Study coordinator: Diao, Jiajie
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.