Understanding how metalloenzymes work and move
Official title: Understanding Metalloenzymes Mechanisms and Dynamics
Funded at Michigan Technological University · NIH-11360567 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying metal-containing enzymes to learn how their metal centers and surrounding parts make them powerful in cells and how this knowledge could inform better medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan Technological University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houghton, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $357,383 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM156437-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360567 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients whose conditions involve metalloenzyme malfunction or where metal-dependent enzymatic pathways are relevant to disease processes.
✕Less likely to help
There is no direct patient participation in this non-clinical research grant.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on metalloenzymes, which include zinc- and iron-containing enzymes that play key roles in biology. The project uses computer simulations together with experiments to uncover how these enzymes catalyze reactions and how distant parts of the protein influence them. By understanding the dynamics and the second coordination sphere, researchers aim to connect structure, motion, and function in metal-dependent enzymes like MMPs and 2OG-dependent oxygenases. The work could illuminate how these enzymes malfunction in disease and guide the design of targeted drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to better drug designs that modulate metalloenzymes involved in disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have advanced understanding of metalloenzyme mechanisms, but many questions remain about dynamics and SCS/LR effects.
Where this research is happening
-
Michigan Technological University
Houghton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Karabencheva-Christova, Tatyana — Michigan Technological University
- Study coordinator: Karabencheva-Christova, Tatyana
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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.