September 20, 2018
A second round of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is allowing Ball State University faculty and student researchers to analyze why some cells fail to destroy rogue molecules.
A research grant previously awarded to Eric (“VJ”) Rubenstein, a Ball State biology professor, to study protein degradation was officially renewed by the NIH at the start of September. This competitive renewal provides a total of nearly $430,000 in funding.
The grant, titled "Genetic Requirements for Protein Degradation at the Eukaryotic Translocon," directly supports current undergraduate and graduate Ball State students conducting research in Rubenstein's lab.
"Cells possess quality control systems to recognize and destroy malfunctioning protein molecules," Rubenstein said. "When these systems fail, several human diseases—including certain forms of cancer, neurodegenerative conditions and cholesterol-related disorders—may result.”
By studying the molecular details of these quality control systems, Rubenstein and his students hope to contribute to the development of improved treatments for various diseases.
“Our goal is to understand how cells recognize and correct problems,” Rubenstein said. “We are examining yeast cells, which are very similar to human cells.”
“We are part of broader research community with labs around the world attacking this and related problems,” he said. “We are attempting to understand this at a very granular level. We hope what we learn in yeast cells will inform people who are working on similar cells found in animals and people.”
Rubenstein is leading a student team consisting of two master’s degree students and several undergraduates.
“I am serving as the team leader while the students carry out the experiments,” he said. “Working on this type of project not only allows us to advance the scientific frontier, but provides students with opportunities to perform impactful research.”
“These types of opportunities give them excellent training in research and prepare them for the next stage of their careers. In the past few years, we’ve had several students performing research in my lab and the labs of my Ball State colleagues go to medical school, be accepted into doctoral programs, and accept jobs as research assistants in universities and biotech companies. I’m excited about the potential impact of our research on human health. I’m just as excited about the tangible positive impact performing this research has on the lives of my students.”
By Marc Ransford, Senior Communications Strategist