Keeping cilia proteins healthy
Quality Control of the cilia proteome
Researchers are learning how tiny cell antennae called cilia sort and send out signaling proteins to help people with cilia-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11258970 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
My cells have tiny antennae called cilia that control signals important for vision, smell and development, and problems with them cause ciliopathies. The team will use lab-grown cells and precise gene-editing tools like CRISPR to watch how signaling proteins are packaged into small vesicles that bud from cilia. They will build genetically encoded blockers that stop this vesicle shedding and use imaging and biochemical tests to see what changes in signaling. Those tools will let them test whether blocking ciliary vesicle release affects cell behavior and processes linked to disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with diagnosed ciliopathies or known genetic mutations that affect cilia function could be candidates for future related studies or to donate samples.
Not a fit: Patients whose medical problems are unrelated to cilia function are unlikely to see direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to diagnose or treat ciliopathies by targeting how cilia sort and release key proteins.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has mapped some ciliary trafficking routes and receptor exit pathways, but studying packaging into ciliary extracellular vesicles and testing its physiological role is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nachury, Maxence V — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Nachury, Maxence V
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.