How the cell's protein-cleaning machine (proteasome) is assembled
Molecular mechanisms underlying the assembly of the human proteasome and endogenous protein complexes
The team is developing new methods to tag and purify proteins inside human cells so they can learn how the proteasome is built, which could be relevant to cancer care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11143023 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use CRISPR gene editing to add small tags to proteins where they naturally occur, then purify those native complexes for study. They will apply high-resolution structural methods such as cryo-EM to visualize how the pieces of the proteasome and other protein assemblies come together. The project focuses on constitutive complexes, cell-type specific assemblies, and membrane protein complexes linked to cell state, using the proteasome as a model. These lab-based methods aim to capture assembly pathways that are missed when proteins are over-produced in non-native systems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project is laboratory-based and does not enroll patients, but if human tissue or tumor samples are sought ideal contributors would be people with cancers willing to donate samples.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatment or those with conditions unrelated to proteasome biology should not expect direct personal benefit from this basic-science work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets and strategies to intervene in proteasome-related processes in cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cryo-EM and proteasome research has produced important structural insights, while endogenous CRISPR-based tagging for assembly pathway studies is a newer and evolving approach.
Where this research is happening
La Jolla, United States
- Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute — La Jolla, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Jianhua — Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Jianhua
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.