Qing Tang, assistant professor of biochemistry at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is taking a close look at how cells move, adapt and function — one molecule at a time. Tang recently received a $2,041,875 Maximizing Investigators’ Research Award (MIRA) for Early-Stage Investigators from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to support her project, “Single Molecule Dissection of Arp2/3 Complex Activity and Regulators in Living Cells.”
At the center of Tang’s work is the structural framework that gives cells their shape and allows them to move and respond to their environment. When that framework breaks down, the consequences can result in cancer and other diseases such as autism, depression and colitis.
Tang is working to understand exactly how this cell disregulation happens in real time, observing where and when specific protein interactions occur — revealing how biochemical activity translates into changes in cell behavior. By pinpointing these processes, Tang’s research aims to close a long-standing gap between biochemistry and cell biology. A clearer understanding of these cell behavoirs could ultimately help researchers chart more effective therapeutic strategies for cancer and other diseases.
Tang’s award highlights the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources’ continued investment in innovative, high-impact science that advances fundamental discovery while laying the groundwork for future medical breakthroughs.
