Using engineered microbes to find how chemical tags change cancer protein interactions
Engineering a recoded organism to discover PTM-mediated protein binders
Researchers are using reprogrammed bacteria to make human proteins with specific chemical tags so they can find molecules that stick to cancer-related proteins and point to new treatment targets for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11130737 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses specially engineered bacteria to build human proteins that carry precise chemical decorations (post-translational modifications) so scientists can see which molecules bind to them. By opening up the genetic code in these microbes, the team can place modified building blocks exactly where they occur in disease-related proteins. They then screen for binding partners and map the interaction networks that control cancer cell signaling. The work is done in the lab with microbes and purified proteins to reveal targets that could later be tested in patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers driven by abnormal protein modifications or signaling pathways would be the most relevant future candidates for therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment or those with cancers unrelated to protein modification pathways are unlikely to get direct benefit from this lab-focused project right now.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal new molecules or binding sites to target with drugs, leading to more precise cancer therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Related laboratory work has already shown that modified amino acids can be encoded into proteins and used to reveal active protein states, but translating those discoveries into patient treatments is still in early stages.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Isaacs, Farren J. — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Isaacs, Farren J.
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.