# Molecular Mechanisms of Iron Homeostasis

> **NIH NIH DP5** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2020 · $396,250

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Transmembrane proteins play critically important roles in human physiology and disease. Among the
many roles of such transmembrane proteins is the regulation of serum iron concentration. Iron levels
must be maintained at sufficient levels to support erythropoiesis; failure to do so results in iron
deficiency anemia. Conversely, iron overload secondary to the inherited diseases of
hemochromatosis results in liver cirrhosis, diabetes, and cardiomyopathy. Serum iron levels are
tightly controlled by the protein hormone hepcidin, which induces degradation of the iron efflux
transporter ferroportin and thereby prevents uptake of iron from enterocytes and recycling of iron from
macrophages. However, the molecular basis of ferroportin function and its regulation by hepcidin
remains poorly characterized. The proposed research will elucidate the biochemical, structural, and
biophysical basis of ferroportin activity and will develop new ways of modulating ferroportin function.
These studies will develop novel strategies for treating diseases resulting from dysregulation of iron
homeostasis. More broadly, elucidating the molecular basis of ferroportin function will yield general
insights into the Major Facilitator Superfamily of transporters, a large group of transmembrane
proteins responsible for many disease states.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9994777
- **Project number:** 5DP5OD023048-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Aashish Manglik
- **Activity code:** DP5 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $396,250
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-15 → 2021-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9994777

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9994777, Molecular Mechanisms of Iron Homeostasis (5DP5OD023048-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9994777. Licensed CC0.

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