How tumor metabolism controls protein-making in glioblastoma
Official title: Metabolic Control of Translation in Glioblastoma
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11420517 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing metabolic and diet-based approaches to slow protein-making and tumor growth in people with glioblastoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | February 20, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $525,808 |
| NIH project number | 5R01NS136424-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11420517 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a diagnosis of glioblastoma would be the main candidates for any future trials based on this work.
✕Less likely to help
People with other types of brain tumors or whose tumors do not rely on the targeted tRNA/metabolic pathways may not benefit from these approaches.
What this research studies
This project looks at why some glioblastoma cells make protein faster and how chemical changes to tRNAs (the molecules that read genetic code) drive that process. The team used CRISPR screens to find tRNA regulators that glioblastoma cells depend on and is studying how those regulators connect to cellular metabolites. They will test whether changing specific metabolites or restricting dietary methionine can alter tRNA modifications and reduce tumor growth in lab models and human tumor samples. Promising results could lead to future clinical trials of metabolic or diet-based therapies for people with glioblastoma.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new metabolism-based or dietary treatments that slow glioblastoma growth and improve patient outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory studies and some early clinical work suggest metabolic interventions like methionine restriction can slow cancer growth, but targeting tRNA-regulation in patients is novel and still unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rich, Jeremy N — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Rich, Jeremy N
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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.