How cells use tiny internal structures to move and divide
Official title: Biophysical Mechanisms of Force Transmission in Cytoskeletal Ensembles
Funded at University of Mississippi · NIH-11128812 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project helps us understand how the tiny internal structures within our cells work together, which is important for conditions like cancer and heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Mississippi NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $289,412 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147050-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11128812 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This basic science project does not directly involve patient participation at this stage.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options would not directly benefit from this foundational research.
What this research studies
Our cells rely on internal structures called actin filaments and microtubules to perform vital tasks like dividing and moving. When these structures don't work correctly, it can contribute to serious conditions such as cancer and heart disease. This project aims to understand how these tiny structures communicate and coordinate with each other using special proteins. Researchers are building miniature cell-like environments, called nanocells, to observe these processes more clearly than ever before. By studying these fundamental mechanisms, we hope to gain new insights into how cells function and what goes wrong in disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this foundational knowledge could lead to new ways to understand and potentially treat diseases like cancer and heart disease by targeting how cells move and divide.
How similar studies have gone: While individual components of cell mechanics have been studied, this approach of engineering physiologically relevant "nanocells" to bridge scales is a novel way to understand cytoskeletal communication.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Mississippi
University, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reinemann, Dana Nicole — University of Mississippi
- Study coordinator: Reinemann, Dana Nicole
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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.