New computer-driven models to study membrane proteins and lipid metabolism
Official title: Innovative Multiscale Modeling Techniques for Membrane-Bound Proteins
Funded at Wayne State University · NIH-11402726 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Wayne State University is developing advanced computer models to understand how membrane proteins and lipid metabolism work, with a focus on proteins involved in viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wayne State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $401,995 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM160192-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402726 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with cancers or metabolic diseases where lipid metabolism or membrane protein function is implicated, or patients eligible for future antiviral/vaccine studies linked to spike protein mechanisms.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in viral exposure or metabolic disease research may not directly benefit from this computational project.
What this research studies
This project uses multiscale computer modeling to simulate how membrane-bound proteins move and interact, aiming to capture details that are hard to see with traditional methods. It combines computing tool development with laboratory validation to study the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and lipid-regulating networks on lipid droplets. The work seeks to accelerate drug discovery and vaccine efforts for coronaviruses while also exploring mechanisms linked to cancer and metabolic diseases. By integrating simulations with experiments, the research hopes to reveal targets for therapies that affect both viral processes and lipid metabolism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could speed up development of antiviral strategies and new treatments for cancer and metabolic diseases by revealing how membrane proteins and lipid processes drive disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous computational studies have shown promise in modeling membrane proteins, with ongoing work translating insights into therapeutic strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
Wayne State University
Detroit, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Yu-Ming Mindy — Wayne State University
- Study coordinator: Huang, Yu-Ming Mindy
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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.