Using AI to find hidden metabolic pathways that affect diseases

Democratizing Multi-Omics to Expedite Discovery of Hidden Metabolic Pathways

NIH-funded research Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11414811

This project builds AI tools to link proteins and small molecules so researchers can uncover metabolic pathways that matter for cancers, diabetes, and other diseases.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionCedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Los Angeles, United States)
Project IDNIH-11414811 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers will combine protein and metabolite data from the same samples and feed those multi-omic datasets into artificial intelligence models that learn connections between molecules and proteins. The goal is to reduce the need for time-consuming expert interpretation so more labs can use these approaches. The team will validate that the AI can recover known links and discover new ones, using existing data and experimental follow-up. Over time the tools are meant to be easier to use so discoveries spread beyond specialist groups.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with cancer or diabetes who are willing to donate blood, tissue, or clinical data to multi-omic research would be the most relevant candidates to contribute to this work.

Not a fit: People without metabolic or cancer-related conditions, or those unwilling to provide samples or data, are unlikely to see direct benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed up discovery of disease-related metabolic pathways and point to new drug targets or diagnostic tests for cancers, diabetes, and other conditions.

How similar studies have performed: Preliminary data and other published work show AI plus multi-omics can reveal known and novel metabolite-protein links, but the approach is still emerging and not yet broadly applied in clinical care.

Where this research is happening

Los Angeles, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions CancersDiabetes MellitusDiseaseDisorder
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.