How cells use ubiquitin and metabolism signals to control growth
Official title: Ubiquitin and Metabolite Signaling
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11481902 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how a small protein tag called ubiquitin and metabolic signals help control cell growth in ways that could help people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $15,226 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM148350-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11481902 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant supports laboratory research rather than a clinical trial, so it does not enroll patients but could benefit people with cancer in the future through new treatments developed from the findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options are unlikely to benefit because the work is foundational lab research rather than a therapy study.
What this research studies
The team works with yeast and mammalian lab cell models to see how ubiquitin tags and metabolic cues talk to the cell cycle machinery. They use biochemical tools to map which ubiquitin chain types are read by the cell, how F-box proteins sense metabolic or environmental changes, and how ubiquitin ligases choose specific targets. A second project focuses on links between methionine metabolism, regulation of PP2A, and how those connections affect cell proliferation in mammalian cells. Findings aim to reveal basic molecular steps that could point to new drug targets or treatment approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets to slow or stop cancer cell growth and guide future cancer therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior yeast and cell-line research has revealed important ubiquitin pathways, but translating these basic findings into proven cancer treatments is still early and largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
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University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaiser, Peter — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Kaiser, Peter
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.