# Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles as new tools to elucidate T cell signaling events

> **NIH NIH R21** · IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $229,500

## Abstract

Project Summary
The study of cellular signaling has benefitted greatly from existing approaches to alter signaling
pathways in a controlled manner to delineate specific molecular events that mediate cell function.
Mutagenesis is one such method used to remove a specific recognition site, or site of post-
translational modification, to evaluate signaling consequences and deduce the importance of the
target site. While powerful, this approach requires cell development, growth, and activation to
take place in the context of a non-native gene which can have ancillary effects confounding the
experimental results. The submitted application takes a completely new approach to the study of
cellular signaling; molecularly imprinted nanoparticles (MINPs) have been developed by Yan
Zhao that exhibit exquisite selectivity and affinity for their short target sequences. Cell
permeability has been demonstrated and in this application Zhao and Andreotti will test the
efficacy of these new reagents in the study of T cell signaling. Specific target sequences are
chosen for MINP generation, binding affinity and specificity will be tested in vitro and in cell
lysates, and internalization and target binding of MINPs in T cells will be fully characterized. If
successful, these proof of principle experiments will pave the way for application of MINP
technology to every corner of the cell signaling field.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10452166
- **Project number:** 1R21AI164402-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** AMY H ANDREOTTI
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $229,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-02-01 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10452166

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10452166, Molecularly imprinted nanoparticles as new tools to elucidate T cell signaling events (1R21AI164402-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10452166. Licensed CC0.

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