Seeing enzymes change in real time to learn how they work and are controlled
Official title: Time-resolved structural studies of enzyme catalysis and regulation
Funded at University of Nebraska Lincoln · NIH-11325316 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are using advanced time-resolved crystallography and computer simulations to watch enzymes—including ones linked to Parkinson's disease and antibiotic breakdown—change during reactions to better understand their behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Lincoln NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lincoln, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $365,883 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM153337-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325316 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Although this is laboratory-focused, people with Parkinson's disease or conditions related to DJ-1 biology could be future beneficiaries and might be invited to provide samples for related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment changes or those with conditions unrelated to enzyme or DJ-1 biology are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic research in the near term.
What this research studies
This project uses new time-resolved serial crystallography to capture enzymes at atomic detail as they perform chemical reactions in near-physiological conditions. The team focuses on cysteine-dependent enzymes in the DJ-1 superfamily, which are connected to Parkinsonian neurodegeneration and to how some antibiotics are destroyed. They will combine these experiments with large-scale quantum-mechanical simulations and biochemical tests to link structural changes to chemical activity. The project also develops methods to make these time-resolved structural experiments easier for other labs to use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal how disease-related enzymes malfunction or resist drugs, guiding development of better Parkinson's therapies and more durable antibiotics.
How similar studies have gone: Time-resolved serial crystallography has recently produced important snapshots of enzyme action, but combining it with large-scale quantum simulations for DJ-1 enzymes represents a novel, cutting-edge approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Lincoln
Lincoln, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Mark a. — University of Nebraska Lincoln
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Mark a.
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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.