How cells fold proteins and handle misfolding
Official title: Protein folding in the cell: Challenges and coping mechanisms
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11376315 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how cells use helper proteins called Hsp70 to fold other proteins properly and prevent the kind of misfolding that can lead to Alzheimer's.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2016 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $26,085 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM118161-10S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376315 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project is laboratory-focused and does not enroll patients, though people with Alzheimer's disease or related dementias could be future beneficiaries of therapies informed by these findings.
✕Less likely to help
People seeking immediate treatment or those whose cognitive problems are not driven by protein misfolding are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory research.
What this research studies
The research focuses on Hsp70 molecular chaperones, which switch between loose and tight binding states depending on ATP or ADP and help other proteins fold correctly. Scientists will use biochemical assays, structural analyses, and cell-based experiments to map which protein sequences Hsp70 binds and how partner co-chaperones (J-proteins and nucleotide-exchange factors) alter binding and release. The work is lab-based and examines molecular mechanisms rather than testing treatments in people. Findings aim to explain the molecular steps that can lead to harmful protein clumps in Alzheimer's and similar conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or reduce protein misfolding and aggregation that contribute to Alzheimer's disease.
How similar studies have gone: Many laboratory and animal studies show Hsp70 chaperones can reduce protein aggregation, but translating these findings into proven human therapies remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gierasch, Lila M — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Gierasch, Lila 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.