The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has awarded Dr. Gewirth a five-year, $1.6M grant to investigate proteins known as “chaperones” and learn how they are regulated in vivo. 

Under normal conditions, molecular chaperones play a critical role in keeping all of the cells in the body functioning smoothly.  Much like the spark plug in an automobile engine, chaperones do this by giving a final “kick” to essential proteins thereby helping them to reach a properly folded, active state.  Ironically, when cells become cancerous, these same molecular chaperones enable the survival of cancer cells by keeping order among the chaos of an out-of-control cellular metabolism. 

The class of chaperones under study in Dr. Gewirth’s laboratory is called hsp90, and the protein “clientele” they aid is essential for cellular survival.  Work in Dr. Gewirth’s lab is focused on determining the three-dimensional structures of members of this hsp90 chaperone family in order to understand how they function.  Working in collaboration with other scientists around the country, Dr. Gewirth is using this understanding to develop new inhibitor compounds that turn off the chaperone “spark” and preferentially kill out-of-control cancer cells. 

By advancing scientific knowledge of an important cancer target, this grant will benefit all mankind.  At the same time, more than 95% of the grant money will stay in Western New York and help the local economy.

This grant was awarded after undergoing a rigorous peer-review process.  At the present time, more than 90% of the grants submitted to NCI are denied.

Dr. Gewirth said, “I am thrilled to have been awarded this grant by the National Cancer Institute.  It reflects the confidence of other scientists in the quality of the work we have been conducting in this field for the past several years.  We are poised to make significant progress in our understanding of these key cellular proteins, and the money from this grant will enable our research to move forward.”