How membrane proteins change shape to send signals
Revealing transmembrane conformational signaling through single-molecule FRET
Researchers are using advanced single-molecule fluorescence and nanodisc methods to watch how membrane proteins change shape and send signals relevant to cancers and other diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176926 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, it's useful to know researchers are watching how individual membrane proteins change shape in conditions that mimic real cell membranes using advanced single-molecule fluorescence methods and nanodiscs. The team improved how fast and how precisely they can see tiny movements in full-length receptors such as the epidermal growth factor receptor, which plays a role in many cancers. They extract and study complete proteins in native-like lipid discs rather than broken pieces, so the behavior they see is more relevant to how drugs will work. Over time, these detailed pictures of how receptors signal could point to better drug designs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The project does not recruit patients, but people with cancers involving membrane receptor drivers such as EGFR could eventually benefit from improved therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: Patients needing immediate treatment or those with conditions unrelated to membrane receptor biology are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic lab research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help design more precise drugs that target membrane proteins like cancer-related receptors.
How similar studies have performed: Related single-molecule and structural studies have revealed receptor behaviors and aided drug development before, but combining higher temporal and spatial resolution in native-like nanodiscs is a newer advance.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schlau-Cohen, Gabriela — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Schlau-Cohen, Gabriela
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.