Revealing how membrane proteins change shape to send signals
Official title: Revealing transmembrane conformational signaling through single-molecule FRET
Funded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology · NIH-11400294 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to understand how membrane proteins change shape to pass signals across cell membranes, which is important because many drugs target these proteins.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $428,218 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM148287-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400294 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable (preclinical/basic science study).
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation is expected.
What this research studies
The research will use advanced single-molecule FRET to watch membrane proteins in action within lipid environments that mimic real cell membranes. The team has developed methods to observe fast conformational changes with high spatial and temporal detail. By studying full-length proteins in nanodiscs, they hope to uncover how stimuli alter their shapes and trigger downstream signals relevant to cancer biology and treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of membrane protein signaling could lead to more precise cancer therapies and smarter drug design.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed ligand-induced conformational changes in two receptors, supporting the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schlau-Cohen, Gabriela — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Schlau-Cohen, Gabriela
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.