Nanopore Tweezers to Map Kinase Movements and Find Allosteric Drugs
Official title: Developing a Nanopore Tweezer Toolkit for Analyzing Kinase Structural Dynamics and Screening Allosteric Inhibitors
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11403824 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new nanopore-based tool will watch how disease-related kinases change shape in real time to help identify allosteric drugs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $380,813 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM159415-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11403824 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with cancers driven by kinases where allosteric inhibitors are relevant, or those who may participate in future precision-medicine trials.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without kinase-driven cancers or those not eligible for kinase-targeted therapies may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project develops nanopore tweezers that can track kinase movements at extremely high speed and for extended periods, providing detailed maps of how these enzymes change shape during binding, catalysis, and inhibition. By coupling single-molecule measurements with protein analysis, the work aims to generate energetic landscapes of kinase states relevant to cancer. The ultimate goal is to enable better drug discovery and more personalized approaches to cancer therapy through insights into structural dynamics. The research combines advanced biophysics with practical applications in diagnostics and therapeutics to advance cancer care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could see faster development of targeted cancer therapies informed by real-time views of kinase behavior.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on single-molecule sensors and kinase dynamics supports the feasibility of this approach, though applying nanopore tweezers to kinases is an emerging area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Min — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Chen, Min
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.