An "orphan receptor" breakthrough by local scientists is providing new insights into developing more effective cancer drugs.

G protein-coupled receptors, or GPCRs, play a crucial role in cell signaling, which helps locate target molecules. Roughly 40 percent of drugs on the market work through GPCRs, making it the largest drug-target protein family.

Although breakthroughs in GPCR structural and pharmacological studies have been popping up, more than 100 GPCRs remain "orphan receptors" whose ligands (an ion or molecule that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex) and signaling pathways have not yet been identified.