Targeting membrane-attached proteins that contribute to disease
Peripheral membrane proteins and disease: tool development, basic investigations, and inhibitor design
Creating new lab methods to understand and block proteins that stick to cell membranes and can cause disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11140383 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building membrane-like lab models (membrane-mimicking reverse micelles) so membrane-attached proteins behave as they do in cells. They will use high-resolution tools like NMR spectroscopy to watch how these proteins interact with membranes and other molecules. The team will focus on three medically important proteins, including GPx4 and two NADPH oxidase PX domains, and will design small molecules that can block their harmful actions. These tools aim to reveal how these proteins work and to provide starting points for new drug development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is laboratory research that does not enroll patients, though people with diseases linked to GPx4 or NADPH oxidase activity could benefit from future therapies arising from the work.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to membrane-associated proteins are unlikely to see direct benefit from this grant in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable new medicines that target previously hard-to-reach membrane-associated proteins and improve treatments for diseases linked to those proteins.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior research has targeted membrane proteins with limited success, but the membrane-mimicking reverse micelle method and the specific inhibitor design planned here are largely novel.
Where this research is happening
Richmond, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fuglestad, Brian — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Fuglestad, Brian
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 below.