How Notch signals at cell-to-cell contacts shape tissue structure
Decoding cortical Notch signaling and morphogenic instruction at cell-cell interfaces
This project looks at how the Notch cell-communication system helps cells change shape and organize into tissues, which could matter for cancer and tissue repair.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11379609 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team builds 3-D human tissue models using microfluidic devices that mimic how cells touch and press on one another. They manipulate the Notch signaling pathway and cell mechanics and use high-resolution imaging and molecular tools to watch how those signals guide cell fate and tissue architecture. Most work is done in lab-grown human cells and engineered tissues rather than by enrolling patients, aiming to explain how misregulation can contribute to cancer. The goal is to reveal steps that could be targeted to prevent disease or improve regeneration.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers linked to changes in tissue architecture or tumors involving Notch signaling would be most relevant to follow these results, though the grant does not enroll patients.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to cell architecture or the Notch pathway (for example isolated metabolic disorders) are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new targets to stop cancer progression or to improve therapies that repair damaged tissues.
How similar studies have performed: Notch has long been linked to development and cancer, but the specific cortical signaling role and the 3-D microfluidic approaches used here are relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kutys, Matthew L — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Kutys, Matthew L
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.