New lab methods to map and target RNA–protein interactions inside living cells
Developing RNP-MaP into a broad-spectrum toolset for discovery, definition, and drug targeting of RNA-protein complexes in live cells
This project builds lab tools to find where RNA and proteins bind inside human cells and to help design drugs that can change those interactions for people with related diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195665 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are improving a chemical probing method called RNP-MaP to read RNA–protein contacts inside living cells. They will expand the method so it can map networks of proteins on noncoding RNAs across the whole transcriptome and identify which proteins bind where. The work also aims to measure how often proteins occupy specific RNA sites and to make the approach compatible with discovering small molecules that can interfere with those interactions. Ultimately the team will create a flexible toolkit researchers can use to study RNA–protein complexes and to guide drug discovery.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with conditions suspected to involve faulty RNA–protein interactions, or individuals willing to donate blood or tissue samples for molecular mapping work, would be most relevant to this project.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are unrelated to RNA biology or who cannot provide samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable new kinds of medicines that target RNA–protein interactions for genetic and other diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory work using RNP-MaP has shown it can map RNA–protein contacts, but scaling it into a broad toolkit and a platform for drug targeting is a new advance.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weidmann, Chase a — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Weidmann, Chase a
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 below.