How cells change their metabolism when stressed
Official title: Mechanisms of Metabolic Adaptation: from Single Molecules to Systems Biology
Funded at University of Kansas Lawrence · NIH-11250040 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how human cells rewire their metabolism under stress to help people with chronic diseases in the future.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Lawrence NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lawrence, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $376,368 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM156876-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11250040 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic metabolic conditions (for example diabetes, fatty liver disease, or chronic drug-related metabolic issues) interested in research that could inform future therapies are most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking an immediate treatment or enrollment in a clinical drug trial are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-based research.
What this research studies
Researchers will grow human cell models in the lab and use detailed genomics and high-resolution imaging to watch how cells shift metabolic pathways when nutrients or chemicals are scarce. They will probe key mechanisms such as autophagy and cytochrome P450 activity and use gene-editing tools like CRISPR to test which genes control those shifts. The team combines single-molecule measurements with systems-level analyses to map how small changes add up to broad metabolic adaptation. Results will aim to reveal targets that could be used to design more precise therapies for chronic conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets to make treatments for chronic metabolic conditions more precise and effective.
How similar studies have gone: Previous lab studies have shown roles for autophagy and cytochrome P450 in stress responses, but integrating genomics, imaging, and CRISPR to map system-level metabolic adaptation is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kansas Lawrence
Lawrence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barnaba, Carlo — University of Kansas Lawrence
- Study coordinator: Barnaba, Carlo
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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.