Modeling how proteins pick their metal partners
Official title: Modeling Ion Selectivity in EF-hand Proteins
Funded at Loyola University of Chicago · NIH-11384906 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A grant to help understand how proteins choose the right metal ion to work properly inside our bodies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Loyola University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $350,384 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM160470-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384906 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly during this grant phase.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or benefit in the current computational study.
What this research studies
Proteins need metal ions to function, and getting the wrong ion can cause problems. This project uses advanced computer simulations to model how ions interact with proteins, aiming to improve the accuracy of these models. By refining the force fields used in simulations, researchers hope to reveal how ions bind and influence protein behavior at the atomic level. The work is led by Pengfei Li at Loyola University Chicago and focuses on calcium-related proteins and general ion selectivity in biological systems.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to better understanding of diseases linked to metal ion imbalance and improve drug design that targets metal-binding proteins.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with improved force fields has shown more accurate predictions in biomolecular simulations, suggesting this approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
-
Loyola University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Pengfei — Loyola University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Li, Pengfei
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Designing new iron-based catalysts for carbonyl-olefin metathesis
A scientist team is designing smarter iron-containing catalysts to enable carbonyl-olefin metathesis in making medicinal compounds.
-
Molecular role of PhLP3 in human sperm production
A science team is studying a protein called PhLP3 to understand how it affects human sperm development and male fertility.
-
How Spanish-speaking Latino children's language environments affect their bilingual development
This study looks at how talking with family and hearing conversations around them helps Spanish-speaking Latino kids learn two languages, and it aims to find the best ways to support their bilingual growth.
-
Exploring how Spanish-speaking Latino children's early language environments affect their bilingual development
This study looks at how the language experiences of Spanish-speaking Latino kids at home help them learn two languages and improve their reading skills, so we can find better ways to support their learning and success in school.
-
Imaging liver cancer metabolism using advanced technology
This study is exploring a new way to take pictures of how the liver works, especially for people with liver cancer, using a safe and non-invasive method that could help doctors better understand and treat liver diseases.
-
Understanding how the brain organizes sound frequency processing
This study is looking at how certain molecules in the brain help organize the way we hear different sounds, using special mice to learn more about this process, which could eventually help people with hearing 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.