How cells build the centers that organize their internal skeleton
Official title: How to make a microtubule organizing center
Funded at University of Nebraska Lincoln · NIH-11361752 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how tiny cellular organizers called microtubule organizing centers form so scientists can better understand infections like African sleeping sickness and basic cell division problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Lincoln NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lincoln, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00GM152794-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11361752 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with African sleeping sickness or those willing to contribute parasite samples to research would be most relevant to future translational work stemming from this project.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking an immediate new treatment are unlikely to benefit directly because this is basic laboratory research focused on cellular mechanisms.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine two simpler examples of these organizing centers — a vertebrate microtubule branch site and the nuclear plaque of the parasite Trypanosoma brucei — to see how they recruit and activate a key protein complex called γ-TuRC. They will use purified components, lab reconstitution, and advanced microscopy to watch how these parts come together and orient new microtubules. By comparing the two systems, the team hopes to reveal basic rules for how organizing centers are built and controlled. The work is done in the lab using model cells and parasite systems rather than treating patients directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could identify new molecular steps that might be targeted in the long term to treat diseases that involve microtubule errors or Trypanosoma infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior basic research has clarified parts of microtubule nucleation, but applying reconstitution and the trypanosome nuclear plaque approach is a relatively new angle.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Lincoln, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Travis, Sophie M. — University of Nebraska Lincoln
- Study coordinator: Travis, Sophie M.
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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.