Understanding How Medicines Interact with Proteins

Identification and quantification of drug-protein adducts by mass spectrometry

NIH-funded research University of Washington · NIH-11131259

This project is developing new ways to find out why some medicines cause unexpected side effects in people.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Washington NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Seattle, United States)
Project IDNIH-11131259 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Sometimes, medicines can cause unwanted side effects that are hard to predict or understand. This often happens when a drug's breakdown products attach to proteins in the body, forming what are called 'adducts.' Our goal is to create better tools to identify and measure these drug-protein attachments, especially those linked to adverse reactions. By doing so, we hope to better understand why certain drugs cause problems and make new medications safer for everyone. We are focusing on drugs already known to cause adverse events in patients.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation but aims to benefit all patients by improving drug safety.

Not a fit: Patients not taking medications or not experiencing adverse drug reactions would not directly benefit from this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer medications and a better understanding of why some drugs cause adverse reactions, ultimately protecting patients.

How similar studies have performed: While previous efforts have struggled to comprehensively identify drug-protein interactions, this project introduces innovative proteomic methods to address this challenge.

Where this research is happening

Seattle, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.