How cell voltage sensors control proton channels
Mechanisms of Permeation and Gating of Voltage-Sensing Domains
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · NIH-11088711
Developing small molecules that block the Hv1 proton channel to help people with stroke, traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, or cancers that spread.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (IRVINE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11088711 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers at UC Irvine are designing and testing small chemicals that stick to the Hv1 proton channel, a cellular "voltage sensor" linked to worse outcomes after brain injury and to cancer spread. They combine computer modeling with lab experiments to find molecules that bind the channel in different states and change its activity. The work uses biochemical and cellular tests and likely animal models to see how candidate compounds affect inflammation and cell behavior. The overall aim is to produce drug-like tools that could become anti-inflammatory or anti-cancer treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have had an ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or cancers with a high risk of spread would be the most likely future candidates for related treatments or trials.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to proton channel activity or who need immediate, already established treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this early-stage work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to drugs that reduce brain damage after stroke or trauma and slow cancer metastasis by blocking Hv1 activity.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory work has found some molecules that block Hv1 channels, but clinical benefit in people has not yet been demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
IRVINE, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE — IRVINE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: TOMBOLA, FRANCESCO — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- Study coordinator: TOMBOLA, FRANCESCO
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.
Conditions: Acquired brain injury, Anti-Cancer Agents