How the cell transport motor dynein is controlled inside cells
Official title: Regulation of cytoplasmic dynein in vivo
Funded at Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med · NIH-11170692 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how the cell's transport motor dynein is controlled, aiming to benefit people with motor neuron conditions such as ALS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bethesda, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $381,240 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM140792-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170692 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll patients or require patient participation, but people with ALS who want to follow basic research progress may find the results relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients needing immediate clinical treatments or therapies should not expect direct or immediate benefits from this basic lab research.
What this research studies
Researchers use a microscopic model organism (the fungus Aspergillus nidulans) to watch dynein moving inside live cells and to find the proteins that help turn it on and off. The team combines genetics and live-cell imaging to track dynein, its adapter proteins (like HookA and dynactin), and regulators such as LIS1 and a protein called VezA. By changing genes and observing how dynein behavior changes, they hope to pinpoint molecular steps that are needed for proper cargo transport. Although experiments are done in fungal cells, the molecular machinery is similar to human cells and may reveal mechanisms relevant to ALS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal molecular targets that eventually help protect nerve cells or fix their transport problems in diseases like ALS.
How similar studies have gone: Previous laboratory studies have successfully identified dynein regulators such as LIS1, but the specific role of VezA and some adaptor interactions remains less understood.
Where this research is happening
-
Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med
Bethesda, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xiang, Xin — Henry M. Jackson Fdn for the Adv Mil/med
- Study coordinator: Xiang, Xin
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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.