How tiny liquid droplets inside cells behave and interact with cell membranes
Understanding the viscoelasticity, surface tension, and membrane interactions of biomolecular condensates in live cells
Researchers are measuring how liquid droplets inside living cells flow and stick to membranes to learn how these changes can lead to diseases like neurodegeneration.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Piscataway, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11158835 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Inside our cells, proteins can form tiny liquid-like droplets called biomolecular condensates that help organize cellular activity. This project uses a technique adapted from patch-clamp called micropipette aspiration to measure droplets' surface tension and viscosity directly inside living cells and cell lines. The team will study how these material properties control interactions with membranes, organelles, and processes such as autophagy and vesicle trafficking. Because some condensates can harden into fibrils seen in neurodegenerative disease, the work aims to reveal mechanisms that might point to ways to prevent harmful clumping.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with neurodegenerative conditions or those willing to donate blood, tissue, or skin cells for laboratory research would be the most relevant participants or sample donors.
Not a fit: Patients looking for immediate treatment changes or those with conditions unrelated to protein aggregation are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal physical triggers of protein clumping and suggest new targets to prevent or treat neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked condensate phase changes to disease, and applying micropipette aspiration to living-cell condensates is a novel but promising technique to quantify their mechanics.
Where this research is happening
Piscataway, United States
- Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j. — Piscataway, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shi, Zheng — Rutgers, the State Univ of N.j.
- Study coordinator: Shi, Zheng
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.