Understanding how cells move in the body, especially in cancer
Official title: Role of vimentin in mammalian cell motility
Funded at Syracuse University · NIH-11136474 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how a protein called vimentin helps cells move through tissues, which is important for processes like wound healing and how cancer spreads.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Syracuse University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | August 16, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $375,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM142963-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136474 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational laboratory research does not directly involve patient participation, but it is relevant to patients with various types of cancer, particularly those at risk for metastasis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not affected by conditions involving cell migration, such as cancer metastasis, would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Our bodies rely on cells moving for many functions, but uncontrolled cell movement can lead to cancer spreading. This project focuses on a key protein, vimentin, which helps cells maintain their shape and interact with their surroundings. We want to understand how vimentin allows cells to squeeze through tight spaces in tissues and how it influences other cell structures that drive movement. By uncovering these specific mechanisms, we hope to learn more about how cancer cells spread throughout the body.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a better understanding of how cancer spreads, potentially opening doors for new ways to prevent or treat metastasis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that changes in vimentin can affect cell movement, but the exact ways it helps cells move through complex tissues are still largely unknown.
Where this research is happening
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Syracuse University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patteson, Alison Elise — Syracuse University
- Study coordinator: Patteson, Alison Elise
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.