Understanding how cellular cargo gets moving along microtubules
Official title: Increasing the Complexity of Microtubule-based transport: Cargo adaptors and Hitchhiking on Vesicles.
Funded at University of Vermont & St Agric College · NIH-11391244 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at a university is studying how cells transport their parts along internal highways so proper cell function and nerve health are maintained.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Vermont & St Agric College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Burlington, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $390,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM150857-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11391244 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with interest in neurodevelopmental or neurodegenerative disease biology and access to cellular models or patient-derived samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without access to research settings or without relevance to neuronal transport biology may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This NIH grant looks at two main ways cells move cargo along microtubules: cargo adaptor–mediated transport and organelle hitchhiking. The project will map how cargo adaptors recruit motors and how loading/unloading is regulated, focusing on a Rab GTPase phosphorylation site linked to a Parkinson’s-associated kinase. By examining these transport modes in human-relevant cellular models, the work aims to connect basic transport biology to disease mechanisms. The findings could reveal new targets to support healthy neuron function and potentially slow neurodegenerative processes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new approaches to prevent or treat nerve cell problems caused by transport defects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has established the importance of motor proteins and adaptor interactions in transport, with some links to neurodegenerative disease, but this project aims to deepen mechanistic understanding.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Vermont & St Agric College
Burlington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Salogiannis, John — University of Vermont & St Agric College
- Study coordinator: Salogiannis, John
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.