How flexible regions of gene-controlling proteins work
Official title: Uncovering the structural underpinnings of function in disordered transcription factor regions
Funded at Syracuse University · NIH-11258693 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how floppy parts of proteins that turn genes on and off behave and change in disease to help people with conditions caused by faulty gene regulation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Syracuse University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2020 |
| Project end | December 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,125 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM137926-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258693 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with conditions caused by mutations or malfunction in transcription factors—such as some genetic developmental disorders or cancers driven by gene-regulation changes—would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with diseases unrelated to gene-regulation problems or those seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
They focus on intrinsically disordered regions (the floppy parts) of transcription factors, the proteins that control when genes are switched on and off. The team will use computer modeling and new lab techniques to watch these regions in living cells and see how their range of shapes relates to function. They will introduce single-point mutations linked to disease and expose cells to stress to see if and how those changes alter behavior. The goal is to connect specific sequence changes or cellular environments to malfunction in gene regulation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how single mutations or cell stress lead to gene-regulation failures and point to new targets for future treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Related computational and cell-based studies have mapped disordered protein behavior, but directly linking those structural preferences to disease-causing functional changes is still a new and developing area.
Where this research is happening
-
Syracuse University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sukenik, Shahar — Syracuse University
- Study coordinator: Sukenik, Shahar
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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.