Revealing Proteoforms: The Driving Molecules Behind How Cells Work
Official title: Revealing Proteoforms: The Driving Effectors of Biological Function
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-11529073 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A disease-relevant project that aims to map the detailed protein forms and modifications in cells to better understand how HIV-related biology functions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2018 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $104,319 |
| NIH project number | 3R35GM126914-09S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11529073 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are researchers and clinicians interested in proteomics, bioinformatics, and HIV-related biology who can implement or translate proteoform analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without access to advanced proteomics facilities or who are not studying proteoform biology may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This NIH grant funds development of advanced tools to map proteoforms, the exact protein forms plus their chemical modifications that control cell behavior. The work combines high-resolution mass measurements, both bottom-up and top-down proteomics, new data-analysis tools, and RNA-Seq data to create a comprehensive view of protein function in complex systems. The goal is to enable deeper insight into cellular responses and disease processes by cataloging proteoforms in an integrated bioinformatic framework. Researchers plan to contribute toward large-scale efforts like the Human Proteoform Project, sharing methods that could benefit studies of HIV biology and other conditions. The project is rooted in fundamental biology, with potential downstream applications in understanding disease mechanisms and identifying new therapeutic targets.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more precise understanding of how disease-related proteins function, potentially guiding future therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary proteoform analyses and integrative proteomics approaches have shown promise in other systems, but translating this to clinical contexts remains an area of active development.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Lloyd M — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Smith, Lloyd M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
BRAVE Innovation Center for Viral Resistance in Chickens
A center at UW–Madison aims to create chickens genetically resistant to avian viruses like H5N1 by identifying host genes involved in virus replication using genome-wide CRISPR screening.
-
Center to Fight Vector-Borne Diseases in the Midwest
A Midwest program brings researchers, public health teams, and vector-control groups together to prevent diseases spread by ticks and mosquitoes.
-
Globally useful predictor for cervical cancer treatment response
This project aims to develop a simple predictive signature to personalize treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer using easy tests and imaging.
-
Neutrophil development with stem cells to understand their behavior
Researchers are studying how neutrophils, a type of immune cell, develop from stem cells to better understand why they can help or harm in infections and inflammatory diseases.
-
WREN: Expanding Research Capacity in Rural Primary Care Clinics
A nationwide network in Wisconsin will strengthen rural primary care clinics to participate in real-world research and bring more clinical trials to communities.
-
Targeting early oral GVHD to improve mouth health after stem cell transplant
A study at UW–Madison will explore why some transplant patients develop painful oral GVHD and test ideas to prevent and lessen mouth-related problems.
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.