How cells pull in the EGF (growth) receptor and how that changes cell signals
EGF Receptor Endocytosis: Mechanisms and Role in Signaling
This research looks at how the EGF receptor is brought into cells and how that changes signaling in cells linked to cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314519 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers use gene-edited human cells that carry a fluorescent tag on the EGF receptor so they can watch the receptor moving inside individual cells. They combine single-cell imaging and high-throughput assays to track how receptors enter endosomes, get sorted into intralumenal vesicles, and stop signaling. The team studies signaling pathways such as p38-MAP kinase and how stress or ligand signals change receptor trafficking. These lab methods aim to reveal when and where EGFR keeps sending growth signals that can drive cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with cancers known to be driven by EGFR (for example some lung or head-and-neck cancers) are the kinds of patients who could benefit from therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose diseases are not driven by EGFR signaling or whose care focuses on unrelated pathways are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new ways to block prolonged EGFR signaling and point to targets for better cancer treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has advanced understanding of EGFR signaling and trafficking, but the question of signaling triggered from endosomes and the new single-cell, gene-edited fluorescent approaches remain relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sorkin, Alexander D — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Sorkin, Alexander D
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.