Understanding how arginine methylation affects cells
Resolving cellular functions of arginine methylation
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV · NIH-11322693
Researchers will look at how a chemical change on proteins called arginine methylation alters cell behavior, with relevance for cancers and some brain diseases.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BLACKSBURG, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11322693 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project focuses on PRMT5, an enzyme that adds methyl groups to arginine amino acids on many proteins. The team will use biochemical tests and experiments in lab-grown cells to see how methylation changes proteins' ability to bind RNA, stick to other proteins, and control mRNA splicing. By mapping which proteins are modified and how those changes affect cell survival and function, the work aims to explain PRMT5's role in cancer and neurodegenerative conditions. Findings could point to which PRMT5-related processes are most important for disease and for future drug development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant does not directly enroll patients, but people with cancers or neurodegenerative diseases—or those willing to donate tissue samples—would be the most relevant patient group for future applications of the findings.
Not a fit: Patients seeking an immediate treatment change are unlikely to benefit directly because this is laboratory-based basic research rather than a clinical treatment trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal specific molecular effects of PRMT5 that guide development of better targeted therapies for cancers and some neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: PRMT5 has been explored in preclinical work and early clinical programs as a drug target, but the precise biochemical effects on many substrates remain incompletely understood.
Where this research is happening
BLACKSBURG, UNITED STATES
- VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV — BLACKSBURG, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: MULVANEY, KATHLEEN — VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INST AND ST UNIV
- Study coordinator: MULVANEY, KATHLEEN
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.
Conditions: Cancers