How Family C GPCRs Signal in the Brain (Autism-related)
Official title: Structural Basis of Signal Instigation Through Family C GPCRs
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11450611 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at St. Jude is exploring how a specific family of brain receptors relays signals to the brain’s cells, which could help people affected by autism and other brain disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $921,871 |
| NIH project number | 2R37NS122394-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450611 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with autism spectrum disorder or related brain disorders, and those who could contribute brain-derived samples or participate in future translational studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without a brain disorder or those not connected to receptor signaling pathways may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced structural biology and biochemistry to map how family C GPCR receptors change shape and interact with other cellular components in the brain. They will apply time-resolved cryo-EM to capture dynamic steps in receptor activation, and combine this with biochemical and proteomic analyses to understand how these receptors are modulated and how they couple to signaling proteins. The work aims to reveal how receptor dimers function, how heterodimerization occurs, and how allosteric changes influence downstream effects relevant to neurodevelopment and autism. This could identify new targets for therapies that adjust brain signaling in autism and related conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could identify new targets for drugs that adjust brain signaling in autism and other brain disorders, potentially leading to better treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has produced high-resolution structures of Family C GPCRs and shown dynamic signaling features; this renewal builds on that progress with time-resolved methods.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Skiniotis, Georgios — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Skiniotis, Georgios
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.