How cholesterol signals and is handled inside human cells
Structural and Functional Investigations on Cholesterol Signaling and Metabolism
Researchers are mapping how cholesterol sends signals and is made and stored in human cells to help people with cholesterol-related diseases and some cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143772 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use cell experiments and high-resolution structural methods to see the shapes and actions of membrane proteins that carry cholesterol signals. They will focus on the Hedgehog signaling proteins that can drive cancer and on enzymes that make and store cholesterol, such as HMGCR and ACAT. The team will track how cholesterol moves, how signals are regulated, and how storage enzymes work in the endoplasmic reticulum. This is lab-based work using human proteins and cells rather than a clinical trial.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with cholesterol metabolism disorders, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, or cancers known to involve Hedgehog signaling may find this research relevant to future therapies.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate treatments or enrollment in a therapeutic clinical trial likely will not benefit directly because this is basic laboratory research rather than a patient treatment study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new drug targets or approaches for treating cancers linked to Hedgehog signaling and disorders of cholesterol metabolism.
How similar studies have performed: Previous structural studies have resolved key Hedgehog pathway proteins and given molecular insight, but translating those findings into therapies is still in early stages.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Xiaochun — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Li, Xiaochun
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.