Understanding how tiny cellular neighborhoods control cell behavior
Official title: Dissecting subcellular and cellular organization by spatial molecular neighborhood networks
Funded at Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-11389381 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Georgia Tech is studying how small groups of RNAs and proteins inside cells organize themselves and influence how cells grow, respond to drugs, and function in tissues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $372,051 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM151028-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389381 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients whose diseases involve abnormal tissue organization or cell signaling that could be linked to subcellular neighborhood patterns.
✕Less likely to help
People without conditions tied to abnormal cellular organization or drug response may see little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project maps and analyzes subcellular neighborhoods of molecules to see how they shape cell behavior in different tissue contexts and in response to perturbations. It builds on prior work to measure RNA and protein spatial patterns at a meaningful resolution and links these patterns to how cells react to stimuli. The goal is to create models that explain tissue-specific responses and identify new ways to predict drug effects. The research is conducted in a lab setting using advanced imaging and multiplexed measurement techniques to understand fundamental cellular organization.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to better predictions of how drugs affect cells in different tissues and guide development of more targeted therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that spatial patterns of molecules relate to cell behavior, suggesting potential for meaningful advances, though this area is complex and ongoing.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Coskun, Ahmet F. — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Coskun, Ahmet F.
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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.