How tiny microRNAs and their helper proteins control genes in cancer, heart, diabetes and brain diseases
Biophysics of regulatory RNAs and RNPs
This work looks at how small gene-regulating RNAs (microRNAs) and the proteins that bind them change in conditions like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and neurodegeneration to find molecular ways to fix those changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258716 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use laboratory structural and biophysical techniques to watch the shapes and movements of precursor microRNAs and the proteins that bind them. They will map three-dimensional structures and large-scale shape changes that control how precursor microRNAs are processed into their active forms. The team will also test how RNA-binding proteins act as chaperones to enable or block those shape changes. By combining these approaches, they aim to reveal molecular switches that keep microRNA levels in balance or cause disease when disrupted.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or neurodegenerative disorders who are willing to provide tissue or blood samples for molecular research or to participate in related translational studies.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment or a direct therapeutic benefit are unlikely to gain from this lab-focused basic research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets to restore healthy microRNA levels and lead to improved diagnostics or therapies for cancers, diabetes, heart and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: MicroRNA biology is a well-established field with some diagnostic and therapeutic leads, but detailed structural studies of RNA folding and protein chaperones controlling microRNA biogenesis are relatively novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keane, Sarah Courtney — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Keane, Sarah Courtney
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.