Understanding how messenger RNA binding proteins control gene messages in human cells
Official title: Regulation of mRNA Fate
Funded at University of California Santa Cruz · NIH-11386530 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how messenger RNA binding proteins steer which gene messages get made into proteins, and how alternative splicing affects this process in human cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $411,529 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM130361-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11386530 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Aran-Duchenne disease or cancers could potentially benefit from therapies informed by how mRNA binding proteins influence splicing and translation.
✕Less likely to help
The research is basic science; it may not directly lead to a treatment for every patient in the near term.
What this research studies
This grant looks at how proteins that bind mRNA regulate when and how different versions of a gene are produced in human cells. It uses genomics, molecular biology, and biochemistry to map where these proteins act and how they influence RNA splicing and translation. By studying model cell lines that mimic human and chimpanzee chromosome content, researchers hope to pinpoint single nucleotide changes that alter gene expression in the same cellular environment. The work aims to uncover the rules that connect alternative splicing to protein production and stability, providing fundamental insights that could inform disease biology and therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A deeper understanding of how gene messages are controlled could lead to new approaches for treating cancers and Duchenne-related conditions by targeting mRNA regulation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have demonstrated that alternative splicing and translation are interconnected, and this project builds on those findings with human cell models.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sanford, Jeremy Robert — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Sanford, Jeremy Robert
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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.