# Understanding Ubiquitin-dependent Regulation of Iron Metabolism using Mass Spectrometry

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2024 · $393,438

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Iron metabolism is an essential biological pathway that broadly impacts cellular processes ranging from
aerobic respiration and nucleic acid metabolism to oxygen transport and multiple biosynthetic pathways (amino
acid, nucleotide, and lipid). To maintain sufficient iron to perform these key cellular functions while avoiding the
toxicity associated with excess iron, eukaryotic cells have developed an intricate set of regulatory pathways
that coordinate iron utilization, transport, and storage and ensure that cellular iron levels are kept under tight
physiological control. My laboratory has established a multi-faceted research program that utilizes a
combination of biochemistry and proteomic mass spectrometry-based methods to explore the regulatory
mechanisms underlying iron metabolism. We are currently focused in two areas. First, we are characterizing
the E3 ubiquitin ligase FBXL5 and examining the hypothesis that it functions as a key signaling hub
responsible for integrating a diverse set of iron-regulated signaling cues in order to coordinate multiple iron
homeostatic pathways. Second, we are actively developing novel proteomic mass spectrometric methods to
address key outstanding questions in iron metabolism and other biological processes. Investigation into these
areas will not only uncover novel features regulating iron metabolism but also contribute to our understanding
of how dysregulation of these pathways contributes to human disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10842958
- **Project number:** 1R35GM153408-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** James Akira Wohlschlegel
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $393,438
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-04-01 → 2029-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10842958

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10842958, Understanding Ubiquitin-dependent Regulation of Iron Metabolism using Mass Spectrometry (1R35GM153408-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10842958. Licensed CC0.

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