How Ras and Ral signaling guide development
Understanding Ras effector switching and roles of Ras>RalGEF>Ral in development
This research looks at how the Ras protein and its partner Ral control developmental processes that are linked to hereditary RAS-related birth disorders and some cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11233283 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using the tiny roundworm C. elegans as a living model to map how Ras switches which partner proteins it talks to during development. They will combine genetic tricks, molecular methods, and cell-level observations to follow Ras and Ral signaling in real time in developing tissues. The team will untangle how Ral interacts with the exocyst machinery and find new roles for RalGEF>Ral signaling in growth and physiology. Results aim to reveal basic wiring of these pathways that are conserved across animals and relevant to human RASopathies and Ras-driven tumors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People or families affected by RASopathies (heritable conditions involving Ras) or patients with cancers driven by Ras mutations may find the results relevant for future therapies and research opportunities.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions that do not involve Ras signaling or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct or short-term benefit from this basic lab research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new biological targets or pathways that lead to better treatments for RAS-related developmental disorders and Ras-driven cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Related Ras pathways like RAF and PI3K have produced successful drug targets, but the RalGEF>Ral pathway is much less explored and remains largely untested in clinical settings.
Where this research is happening
College Station, United States
- Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr — College Station, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Reiner, David — Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr
- Study coordinator: Reiner, David
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.