Watching telomerase, the enzyme that protects chromosome ends, inside cells
Investigating telomerase dynamics in live cells at a single-molecule level
This project uses advanced live-cell imaging to watch how telomerase behaves in human cells to better understand its role in aging and cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11117188 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will tag the RNA component of telomerase and attach bright chemical labels so researchers can see single telomerase molecules in living cells. They will track how telomerase moves from Cajal bodies to chromosome ends (telomeres) and how it forms stable interactions there. The team will use high-resolution techniques including photoactivation and photobleaching and will create short telomeres to observe behavior at critically short ends. These experiments aim to reveal the timing, location, and molecular steps telomerase uses to extend telomeres.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers known to involve telomerase activity or those willing to provide tissue or cell samples for laboratory studies would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical care are unlikely to benefit, because this is basic laboratory research rather than a clinical trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal mechanisms cancer cells use to maintain telomeres and point to new molecular targets for therapies affecting aging and cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic and biochemical studies have clarified telomerase function, but live single-molecule imaging of endogenous telomerase in intact nuclei is relatively new and less explored.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sfeir, Agnel — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Sfeir, Agnel
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.