Understanding the structure and control of O-GlcNAcase, a protein linked to cancer and brain disease
Structural insights into the functional regulation of O-GlcNAcase
This project looks at how the human enzyme O-GlcNAcase is shaped and controlled to help people with certain cancers and neurodegenerative conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11240296 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will determine the three-dimensional structure of the human O-GlcNAcase protein and map the regions that bind to its many targets. They will use biochemical and structural imaging methods to see how non-catalytic parts of the protein influence which substrates it recognizes and how it is regulated. The team will compare different forms and mutations of O-GlcNAcase to reveal how changes affect its function. The results aim to clarify how O-GlcNAcase works inside cells and inform future drug design.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant does not involve enrolling patients directly, but people with cancers or neurodegenerative disorders linked to O-GlcNAcase dysfunction could benefit from future therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: People without conditions related to O-GlcNAcase biology, or those needing immediate clinical treatment, are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this laboratory-focused research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable more precise and safer drugs that target O-GlcNAcase for cancers and neurodegenerative diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has identified parts of O-GlcNAcase and tied it to disease, but a complete structural picture and detailed substrate-recognition mechanisms remain novel and unresolved.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Jiaoyang — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Jiaoyang
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.