Nuclear spacing in muscle development
Official title: The mechanisms and functions of nuclear spacing in muscle development
Funded at Boston College · NIH-11384443 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how nuclei are moved and kept in place inside muscle cells to understand muscle health and disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chestnut Hill, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $313,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM147376-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384443 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a patient-recruiting study; findings may benefit people with muscle diseases by clarifying disease mechanisms in the long term.
✕Less likely to help
Direct participant benefit is unlikely since this is a basic science study in model systems.
What this research studies
This project explores the cellular machinery that positions nuclei in muscle cells, focusing on the microtubule network and proteins that move or hold nuclei in place. Using in vivo models, the team will create mutant proteins to dissect the specific microtubule interactions that drive movement and anchoring. They will apply new imaging analyses and classical genetics to map the genetic and molecular controls of nuclear positioning. The work aims to reveal how mispositioned nuclei contribute to muscle disease and what factors ensure proper nuclear spacing during development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Gaining a clearer picture of nuclear positioning could lead to better understanding and eventually new approaches to diagnose or treat muscle diseases linked to nuclear misplacement.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has identified several proteins involved in nuclear movement, but the precise molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood and this project seeks to fill that gap.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Folker, Eric S — Boston College
- Study coordinator: Folker, Eric S
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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.