Aaron Lucius, Ph.D., a chemistry professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has been awarded the prestigious R35 grant, also known as the Maximizing Investigator Research Award, from the National Institutes of Health. His project, “Mechanisms of Molecular Motors in Transcription and Protein Homeostasis,” aims to explore the role of molecular motors in diseases linked to protein misfolding and aggregation, such as cancer, Type II diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders.

Molecular motors are proteins that convert chemical energy into mechanical movement and are essential for maintaining protein homeostasis in cells. As humans age, these systems decline, leading to the buildup of misfolded proteins that contribute to various neurodegenerative diseases.

“One aspect of our research seeks to understand how specific motor proteins regulate protein homeostasis networks — critical processes for cell function. These motor proteins are key to preventing the accumulation of misfolded proteins, which are a main feature of many age-related diseases.”

The other aspect of our research specifically focuses on the mechanisms of RNA polymerases, which are responsible for transcription and underpinning gene expression in all living organisms.   

“We’re using advanced thermodynamic and kinetic techniques to examine the molecular actions of these motors,” Lucius said. “Our goal is to uncover insights that will inform future therapeutic strategies and improve human health.”

The NIH grant will support Lucius’ efforts to understand how these molecular motors could be leveraged to improve the treatment of many human diseases.