Understanding a 'Toggle Switch' in Human Breast Cancer Cells
Official title: Phosphorylation of α/β Tubulin is a 'Toggle Switch' in Human Breast Cancer
Funded at Queens College · NIH-11161386 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how tiny cell structures called microtubules act like a "toggle switch" in human breast cancer cells, affecting how they grow and move.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Queens College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flushing, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $159,983 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM153696-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11161386 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research focuses on understanding the basic biology of breast cancer cells and is not currently recruiting patients for direct participation.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment options would not directly benefit from this basic science project.
What this research studies
Our cells contain tiny structures called microtubules, which are essential for cell shape and movement. In breast cancer cells, these microtubules can either grow or shrink, depending on specific chemical signals. This project explores how two particular signals, PKC and cdk1, act like a "toggle switch" by changing the structure of microtubules. By understanding this switch, we hope to learn more about what makes breast cancer cells grow and spread. This work uses advanced computer simulations and laboratory experiments to observe these changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to control breast cancer cell growth and movement, potentially leading to new treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific "toggle switch" model is novel, the role of tubulin phosphorylation and microtubule dynamics in cancer has been a focus of other successful basic science investigations.
Where this research is happening
-
Queens College
Flushing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rotenberg, Susan a. — Queens College
- Study coordinator: Rotenberg, Susan 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.