How the cell's protein cleanup system affects disease
UBIQUITIN-PROTEASOME PATHWAY in HUMAN DISEASE
Researchers are mapping how the cell's protein cleanup system works to help people with cancers and other diseases caused by protein‑breakdown problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Farmington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11263742 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This lab program aims to understand how the machinery that tags and removes unwanted proteins (the ubiquitin‑proteasome pathway) recognizes and processes its targets by studying the enzymes that add or remove ubiquitin. The team uses structural and biochemical methods to see how these enzymes change shape and switch between inactive and active states, with a focus on deubiquitinating enzymes like USP7 that are linked to cancer. By revealing precise molecular motions and active sites, the research seeks to highlight spots that future drugs could target to correct pathway malfunction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers or other conditions known or suspected to involve ubiquitin‑proteasome dysfunction would be the most likely candidates for future trials based on this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to protein‑degradation pathways or who need immediate clinical interventions are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new drug targets and lead to treatments for cancers and other diseases tied to protein‑degradation defects.
How similar studies have performed: Drugs that block the proteasome have helped some cancers, but targeting specific deubiquitinating enzymes like USP7 is a newer, mostly preclinical approach with encouraging early results.
Where this research is happening
Farmington, United States
- University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt — Farmington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bezsonova, Irina — University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
- Study coordinator: Bezsonova, Irina
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.