How proteins get ADP-ribose chains and why that matters
Regulation and function of site-specific protein poly-ADP-ribosylation
Researchers are developing lab methods to understand how cells attach ADP-ribose chains to proteins, with the goal of helping people with cancers and other diseases linked to this process.
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-11126551 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will build new chemical and biochemical tools to recreate specific ADP-ribose modifications on proteins so scientists can watch how those marks change protein behavior. Teams will use protein engineering, mass spectrometry, and cell-based tests to map where these marks occur and how they alter signaling pathways like DNA repair and Wnt/beta-catenin. The work focuses on the enzymes that add ADP-ribose and how short versus long ADP-ribose chains cause different effects in cells. Results are intended to clarify disease links and guide more precise drug strategies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers driven by DNA-repair defects (for example BRCA-related tumors) or conditions linked to PARP or Wnt/beta-catenin dysfunction are most likely to benefit from the findings.
Not a fit: Patients with health problems unrelated to ADP-ribosylation pathways or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic lab research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to more precise drug targets and better therapies for cancers and other diseases tied to ADP-ribosylation.
How similar studies have performed: Drugs that block PARP enzymes have already helped some DNA repair–deficient cancers, but the specific lab methods to recreate and study precise ADP-ribose marks are relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liszczak, Glen — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Liszczak, Glen
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.