Award
NIH Reporter #1F31AI203078-01
Integrating Structural and Biochemical Approaches to Define Lipid-Dependent TAM Receptor Activation
Recipient
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Department of Biochemistry
Award Amount
$41,340.00
Ceiling
$41,340.00
Awarded
August 13, 2026
Identifier
1F31AI203078-01
The award supports research to define how the Tyro3 TAM receptor is activated by ligands and lipids, using advanced structural and biochemical methods, to inform therapeutic development for diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders.
Description
This project aims to elucidate the structural mechanisms of TAM receptor activation, focusing on Tyro3, and to inform therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways. TAM receptors are receptor tyrosine kinases involved in immune regulation and disease. The research integrates structural modeling, cell-based assays, biophysics, X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and lipid nanodisc reconstitution to understand Tyro3 activation mechanisms distinct from other TAM receptors.