How eIF6 controls the cell's protein-making machinery
Official title: Mechanism and Regulation of eIF6 in Translation
Funded at Saint Louis University · NIH-11324034 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers aim to understand how the protein eIF6 affects protein production in cells so this knowledge can help develop new treatments for cancers linked to eIF6.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Saint Louis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | July 7, 2022 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $318,150 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM143179-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11324034 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with breast cancer or other tumors that show high eIF6 levels, or patients willing to donate tumor samples for laboratory research, would be most relevant to this effort.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment or those whose cancers are not linked to eIF6 are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, the team is studying how eIF6 sits on the large ribosomal subunit and how helper proteins like SBDS and EFL1 remove it so ribosomes can make proteins. They use biochemical tests, biophysical measurements, and cellular cancer models to map when and where eIF6 acts and how its release is regulated. The researchers also examine eIF6 levels in cancer cells and test what happens to tumor cell growth when eIF6 is reduced in lab models. This work aims to reveal specific molecular steps that could be targeted by future drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to stop cancer cells from growing by targeting eIF6 or its release from ribosomes.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical lab studies have shown that lowering eIF6 can slow growth of some cancers, but eIF6-targeted therapies have not yet been tested in clinical trials.
Where this research is happening
-
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Origanti, Sofia — Saint Louis University
- Study coordinator: Origanti, Sofia
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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.