Mapping chloride inside cell compartments
Official title: Development and Application of Organelle Chemotype Fingerprinting for the Functional Investigation of Organellar Chloride
Funded at University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11458383 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops a new method to map chloride inside tiny parts of living cells to help people with chloride-related conditions like cystic fibrosis, certain kidney disorders, and osteoporosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbia, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $359,260 |
| NIH project number | 7R35GM147112-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11458383 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with conditions caused by chloride channel mutations (for example cystic fibrosis, certain inherited kidney disorders, or bone diseases linked to chloride channels) or individuals willing to donate cells or samples for lab research.
✕Less likely to help
People without chloride‑channel-related conditions or those seeking immediate clinical treatments are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic science project.
What this research studies
For patients, the team is creating a high-resolution chemical 'fingerprint' that can measure chloride levels inside the different compartments (organelles) of living cells. They will combine new molecular sensors with 3-D imaging to see how chloride changes in organelles and how disease-related channel mutations affect those levels. The researchers will study cells carrying mutations linked to conditions such as CFTR-related cystic fibrosis, kidney disorders, and bone disease to understand how organellar chloride disruption contributes to illness. This lab-based work aims to generate knowledge and tools that could guide future drug development targeting organellar chloride channels.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the new measurement method could reveal drug targets and enable therapies that fix chloride imbalances inside cell compartments for people with chloride-channel disorders.
How similar studies have gone: Drugs targeting cell-surface chloride channels have had some success, but approaches that target organellar chloride are novel and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Carolina at Columbia
Columbia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leung, Ka Ho — University of South Carolina at Columbia
- Study coordinator: Leung, Ka Ho
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how altered citric acid cycle fuels may help kids and adults with Complex I mitochondrial disease
A small study will look at how changes in the citric acid cycle and a molecule called 2-HG affect people with Complex I–related mitochondrial disease, to identify potential new treatment strategies.
-
Confidential social network referrals to boost HIV testing
A new approach uses anonymous mobile-text referrals to encourage people at risk to get HIV tested.
-
How brain cells move and translate messages to stay healthy in Alzheimer’s and related dementias
A study to understand how RNA binding proteins affect the way brain cells transport and translate messages, which may influence Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
-
Adolescent neurobehavioral outcomes after early nutrition: follow-up of a Bangladeshi trial
This project follows up on children who received nutrient-rich supplements in early life to see how it affects their brain development and behavior during adolescence.
-
Adolescent neurobehavioral outcomes after early-life nutrition in a Bangladeshi cohort
This project follows up teens who were part of an early-life nutrition trial to see how their development and behavior look years later.
-
Brain-boosting blood pressure pathways as a treatment to prevent and treat HAND in aging people with HIV
This research tests whether medicines that affect the brain’s blood-vessel system can protect brain cells and reduce inflammation in people aging with HIV who have cognitive problems.
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.