Targeting cancer signaling at the protein-membrane interface
Official title: Targeting Cancer at the Protein-Membrane Interface
Funded at California Institute of Technology · NIH-11396230 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant aims to develop new ways to block the way cancer-related proteins interact with cell membranes, potentially slowing or stopping cancer signaling for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | California Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pasadena, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00CA277358-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396230 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with cancers characterized by dysregulated membrane-associated signaling (e.g., PI3K or Ras-driven tumors) who could benefit from future targeted therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers not linked to membrane-associated signaling or those unable to participate in future trials may not benefit.
What this research studies
The project focuses on creating bifunctional inhibitors and intramembrane pharmacophores that disrupt how proteins interact with the inner cell membrane to drive cancer signals. It will explore how membrane-embedded receptors and key signaling molecules like PI3K and RAS can be targeted from within the membrane environment. The work combines concepts from cancer biology, pharmacology, and membrane biophysics to identify new approaches that could lead to novel cancer therapies. Patients with cancers driven by these signaling pathways may ultimately benefit from these advances if successful.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could yield new drug strategies that more effectively interrupt cancer signaling at the membrane, offering potential new treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in cancer pharmacology has shown that targeting membrane interactions can modulate signaling, but this approach remains exploratory and has yet to yield approved therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
California Institute of Technology
Pasadena, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Morstein, Johannes — California Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Morstein, Johannes
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.