How the cell acid 'pumps' (V-ATPases) work and affect disease
Official title: Regulation and Cellular Functions of V-ATPases
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11307032 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work explores how tiny cellular proton pumps and their helper proteins function because changes in them can contribute to epilepsy, dementia, and some cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $570,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM145256-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11307032 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with epilepsy, certain neurodegenerative disorders (including forms of dementia), or cancers linked to V-ATPase or Rabconnectin-3 pathway changes are the patient groups most relevant to this research, though the grant itself focuses on lab studies rather than patient enrollment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are unrelated to cell acidification or the V-ATPase/Rabconnectin-3 pathways are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers are studying V-ATPases, the protein complexes that control acid levels inside cell compartments, and the Rabconnectin-3 helpers that control them. They will use yeast and mammalian cells to look at the structure, how subunits come apart and reassemble, and how different protein isoforms and lipids influence activity. The team will also examine mutations in Rabconnectin-3 that have been linked to epilepsy and neurodegeneration to understand how they might cause disease. This work is laboratory-based and aimed at finding precise molecular steps that could be targeted later by therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could point to new molecular targets or strategies to correct faulty cell acidity control, which might eventually help treat some epilepsies, neurodegenerative conditions, or cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory work in yeast and mammalian cells has clarified many V-ATPase mechanisms, but turning those findings into human treatments remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kane, Patricia M — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Kane, Patricia M
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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.