How cells change and adapt over time
Multimodal Investigation of Cellular Adaptation Across Timescales
Researchers are bringing together biology, physics, and data science to learn how cells, including pancreatic cancer cells, change under stress to help guide future treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11138638 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies how cells respond to different kinds of stress across short and long timescales using lab models like yeast and pancreatic cancer cells. Teams will examine membrane-less condensates, run single-cell RNA sequencing across many conditions, and use CRISPR-based tools to perturb gene regulation. Data scientists and physicists will build predictive, multiscale models linking physical cell properties to function and fitness. The goal is to identify ways to reprogram harmful cellular states that could later be targeted in therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with pancreatic cancer who are willing to consider donating tumor tissue or participating in future trials informed by this research would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical benefits or those with conditions unrelated to cellular stress responses are unlikely to see direct benefit from this grant right now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to reprogram maladaptive cells and lead to treatments for diseases such as pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Methods like single-cell sequencing and CRISPR perturbations have shown success in lab studies, but combining them across timescales to guide therapies is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pincus, David — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Pincus, David
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.