Understanding New Chloride Channels and Their Role in Health
Molecular Identity and Physiological Function of Novel Chloride Channels
This project aims to understand how newly discovered channels in our cells work and how they contribute to diseases like stroke and certain cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11144480 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our cells contain tiny pathways called chloride channels that help regulate many important functions, and when they don't work right, they can cause serious conditions like cystic fibrosis, myotonia, and epilepsy. For a long time, we haven't fully understood all of these channels, making it hard to develop new treatments. This project recently identified a new channel, called PAC, which plays a key role in cell damage caused by acid, a process involved in conditions like stroke. By studying PAC and other new chloride channels, we hope to uncover how their malfunction leads to disease. This deeper understanding could pave the way for new medicines to target these channels and improve patient health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients who might benefit from this research in the future include those with stroke, cystic fibrosis, myotonia, epilepsy, and certain cancers where chloride channel dysfunction plays a role.
Not a fit: Patients whose conditions are not related to chloride channel function or acid-induced cell injury would likely not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the development of new medications for conditions like stroke and other diseases where cell damage is caused by acid imbalances.
How similar studies have performed: While the identification of the PAC channel is novel, the broader field of ion channel research has successfully led to many treatments for various conditions.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Qiu, Zhaozhu — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Qiu, Zhaozhu
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.