How membrane signals control the cell's actin skeleton
Signal Integration from Membranes to the Actin Cytoskeleton
Researchers are exploring how signals at the cell membrane control the actin skeleton to better understand problems seen in cancers, immune disorders, and neurodevelopmental conditions.
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-11145841 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the team is focused on proteins that connect membrane signals to the cell's internal actin framework, especially a group called the WASP family and the WAVE regulatory complex. They use biochemical, structural, and cell-based experiments to see how these proteins are turned on by small molecules like Rac1 and Arf and how disease-linked mutations change that control. The lab studies how these changes affect cell movement, immune cell activation, and neuron shape, often using cells and molecular methods. Over time this work could point to molecular targets that researchers might aim at to treat related diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers, inherited immune syndromes (for example Wiskott-Aldrich–like conditions), or certain neurodevelopmental disorders could be relevant to this research, especially if they can provide samples or genetic information.
Not a fit: People with health problems unrelated to actin regulation or the WASP/WAVE pathways are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal specific molecular steps that become targets for new treatments for cancers, immune syndromes, and neurodevelopmental disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Prior basic-science studies have clarified parts of WAVE/WRC regulation and disease mutations, but translating those findings into therapies remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Baoyu — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chen, Baoyu
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.