How cell-surface receptors work together
Official title: Resolving the interaction network of cell surface receptors
Funded at Texas Tech University · NIH-11172504 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how proteins on the surfaces of cells interact to improve understanding of diseases like cancer, asthma, and arthritis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $366,156 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM152126-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11172504 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cancers or inflammatory conditions involving receptors such as CXCR4 would be the most relevant future candidates for related trials or sample donations.
✕Less likely to help
Patients looking for immediate new treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
Researchers will map how receptor proteins on the outside of living cells pair up and send signals. They focus on two major receptor families that are common drug targets (receptor tyrosine kinases and G protein–coupled receptors), including the chemokine receptor CXCR4. Using live‑cell measurements, the team will quantify receptor partnerships and test how drugs or changes in the cell membrane affect those interactions. The goal is to connect detailed molecular behavior with how cells act in disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better, more precise drugs that target the right receptor partners in cancer and inflammatory diseases.
How similar studies have gone: Therapies targeting GPCRs and RTKs have been successful clinically, but systematic live‑cell mapping of receptor interactions is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Adam W. — Texas Tech University
- Study coordinator: Smith, Adam W.
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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.