Understanding the liver transporter OATP1B1 that moves drugs and natural molecules into liver cells
Official title: Structure meets function for OATP1B1, a transporter involved in the uptake of endogenous and xenobiotic materials and drugs
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-11404403 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will map the shape and actions of OATP1B1, a liver protein that helps take up many medications and body chemicals, to improve how medicines are used safely.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $425,028 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM149871-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404403 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll patients, but its findings may be most relevant to people taking drugs cleared by the liver such as certain chemotherapy agents, statins, and other commonly prescribed medicines.
✕Less likely to help
People whose health issues are unrelated to drug metabolism or liver clearance are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused work.
What this research studies
If you take medicines that the liver clears, this project is trying to learn exactly how a liver transporter called OATP1B1 binds and moves drugs. The team will make the human protein in the lab, take high-resolution pictures with cryo-electron microscopy, and run computer simulations to see how it moves. They will also test the purified protein in controlled assays to show which molecules it transports and how inhibition works. Results aim to clarify why some drugs interact and how genetic differences might change drug handling.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better knowledge of OATP1B1 could lead to safer drug dosing and fewer harmful drug-drug interactions for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Cryo-EM combined with functional assays and simulations has successfully revealed mechanisms for other membrane transporters, but the detailed structure and mechanism of human OATP1B1 remain largely unresolved.
Where this research is happening
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State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Paz, Aviv — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Paz, Aviv
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.