Understanding how cation-coupled transporters work and how they relate to cancer
Official title: An integrated approach to understanding the molecular mechanisms of cation-coupled transport
Funded at Texas Tech University Health Scis Center · NIH-11314542 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how certain transporter proteins move molecules in and out of cells and how this affects cancer and other diseases, with a focus on mammalian transporters like SLC6A14.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas Tech University Health Scis Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lubbock, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $388,229 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM153222-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11314542 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers where SLC6A14 or related transporters play a role may benefit from future therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancers or conditions involving these transporters may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
Researchers will build on years of structural and biochemical work to study how charged ions and amino acids are moved by transporters, including the human SLC6A14 protein implicated in cancer. They will use purified proteins, structural snapshots, and functional assays to uncover how these transporters operate in different states. The goal is to translate deep mechanistic insight into potential new approaches for targeting transporter function in human diseases. This work aims to fill gaps in our understanding of transporter mechanisms that could influence drug delivery and disease progression. The project combines advanced biochemistry, structural biology, and biophysical methods to characterize mammalian transporters relevant to cancer biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Gaining detailed knowledge of transporter mechanisms could guide new strategies to treat cancers where these transporters are involved.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work on bacterial models and mammalian transporters has produced concrete mechanistic insights that inform drug design, with ongoing progress in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
Lubbock, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guan, Lan — Texas Tech University Health Scis Center
- Study coordinator: Guan, Lan
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.