How cells control sugar use during growth

A Drosophila Model for the Regulation of Aerobic Glycolysis

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · NIH-11145257

This project looks at how growing cells change the way they burn sugar to build new material, which could help us understand cancer and other diseases involving rapid cell growth.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorTRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (BLOOMINGTON, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11145257 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

Researchers use the fruit fly as a lab model to study a metabolic program called the Warburg effect, where cells use lots of glucose to make building blocks and signaling molecules. They manipulate fly genes such as the Drosophila Estrogen-Related Receptor (dERR) and measure metabolic changes, cell growth, and signaling outcomes. The team compares these genetic and metabolic findings in flies to known behaviors of stem cells, immune cells, and tumor cells. The goal is to reveal basic mechanisms that might point to targets for slowing unwanted cell proliferation.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This project does not enroll or treat patients because it is laboratory research using fruit flies rather than a human study.

Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatment, enrollment in a trial, or direct personal benefit should not expect to gain from this lab-only project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to metabolic targets that slow tumor growth or guide therapies that control abnormal cell proliferation.

How similar studies have performed: Related work in cell culture and mouse models has linked aerobic glycolysis to tumor growth, while using fruit fly genetics to map regulators like dERR is a relatively newer but promising approach.

Where this research is happening

BLOOMINGTON, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.