Understanding how centralspindlin helps cells divide (in vitro)
Official title: In Vitro Reconstitution of Centralspindlin-Mediated Transport
Funded at University of Hawaii at Hilo · NIH-11401231 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to reveal how a motor protein complex guides cell division at the molecular level using lab-based reconstitution methods.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Hilo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hilo, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $145,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM159670-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401231 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project is a basic science study using purified components; it does not involve patient participation.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement or benefits expected from participation in this lab-based study.
What this research studies
This project studies how centralspindlin directs cytokinesis by reconstituting its transport on microtubules in the lab. Researchers will use purified centralspindlin and regulatory partners to observe how cargos are moved to the cleavage furrow, which is essential for equal daughter cells. The work focuses on basic cellular mechanisms that, when faulty, can contribute to cancer, with the goal of mapping precise steps in the division process. Results could illuminate targets for therapies that disrupt inappropriate cell division in cancers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could identify key steps in cell division that become faulty in cancer, guiding future therapeutic strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have highlighted centralspindlin’s role in cytokinesis, and this project builds on that by reconstituting the process in vitro to define exact mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Hilo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tao, Li — University of Hawaii at Hilo
- Study coordinator: Tao, Li
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Natural compounds that block TEAD to help prevent liver cancer
Testing natural compounds from Hawaiian microbes to find medicines that could help prevent liver cancer in people at higher risk.
-
Finding natural compounds to prevent liver tumors
This study is looking for natural substances from Hawaii and other places that might help stop liver cancer from developing, especially for people who have conditions like chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis.
-
Finding natural products to treat a dangerous parasitic infection.
This study is looking for new natural medicines from Hawaiian fungi and bacteria that can help treat angiostrongyliasis, an infection caused by a parasitic worm, by finding ways to stop the worm's larvae from moving.
-
Improving shared chemistry resources with a helium recovery system
This study is working on improving the chemistry lab at the University of Hawaii at Hilo by adding a system that saves and recycles liquid helium, which will help lower costs and make important NMR instruments more available for researchers studying medicine and the environment, encouraging teamwork and better research
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.