Understanding mucus' sugar-coated proteins to help disease care and create mucus-inspired materials
Modeling the mucosal glycopeptide mesh for improved disease understanding and mucin-inspired biomaterial design
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY · NIH-11182469
This project builds computer models of mucus proteins to learn how mucus changes in conditions like cystic fibrosis and some cancers so new treatments and materials can be developed.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BOSTON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11182469 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced computer simulations and machine learning to recreate mucus at both the molecular level and as bulk gels. They will model how sugar attachments, pH shifts, and charge changes alter mucus structure, stickiness, and behavior. The team will link those molecular features to problems seen in cystic fibrosis, mucosal inflammation, and mucin-related cancers. Findings will also guide the design of mucus-inspired biomaterials that could help deliver drugs or restore healthy mucus function.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cystic fibrosis, chronic mucosal inflammation, or cancers influenced by mucins may find this research especially relevant.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to mucus biology, such as purely muscular or neurological disorders, are unlikely to see direct benefits from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain why mucus becomes harmful in some diseases and point to new ways to treat mucus-related problems or design better drug-delivery materials.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and computational studies have given useful insights into mucins, but combining atomistic simulations, coarse-grained biophysics, and machine learning at this scale is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
BOSTON, UNITED STATES
- NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY — BOSTON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CHAKRABORTY, SRIRUPA — NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: CHAKRABORTY, SRIRUPA
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 below.
Conditions: Cancers