Molecular tricks cancer and immune cells use to move in tight spaces
Official title: Molecular Mechanisms of Confined Cell Migration
Funded at Albany Medical College · NIH-11358392 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team will study how cancer and immune cells squeeze through tight environments and how they use leader blebs to move, with the goal of understanding how metastasis happens.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albany Medical College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albany, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $407,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM146588-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11358392 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This grant does not specify patient enrollment but informs mechanisms relevant to patients with cancer and immune-related conditions.
✕Less likely to help
There may be no direct benefit to individuals participating in future steps if the research remains preclinical.
What this research studies
This project looks at how cells change their movement when they are pressed into small spaces, a situation that often occurs in tumors. The research will compare cancer cells and immune cells to see if they use the same factors to form leader blebs and drive fast amoeboid movement. In the lab and in living models, scientists will examine the role of actin-related proteins like Eps8 and other molecules that control cell shape and motion. Results could reveal new targets to limit cancer spread or to modulate immune cell movement where it benefits patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could identify targets to reduce cancer metastasis and improve how immune cells reach tumors or sites of injury.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown leader bleb formation and the involvement of actin regulators in cell migration, supporting further exploration in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Albany Medical College
Albany, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Logue, Jeremy S — Albany Medical College
- Study coordinator: Logue, Jeremy S
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.