A new way to map uridine edits in lung cancer RNA
Official title: A Direct RNA Sequencing Platform to Detect Uridine Modifications in Human Lung Cancer Transcripts
Funded at Northeastern University · NIH-11423882 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are developing a new method to find and distinguish specific uridine modifications across all RNAs in lung cancer cells to better understand cancer biology.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $224,400 |
| NIH project number | 1R61CA315017-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423882 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with lung cancer or those whose tumors resemble the A549 cell line phenotype could be relevant for future validation studies.
✕Less likely to help
This specific grant does not involve direct patient treatment or recruitment at this stage.
What this research studies
This project aims to create a single-nucleotide map of uridine-based RNA changes in lung cancer using direct RNA sequencing. By engineering lung cancer cells to alter the writers of these modifications, the team will build a high-confidence atlas of where these edits occur. They will combine machine learning and sequencing data to distinguish different uridine modifications across the transcriptome. The work is designed to advance our understanding of how RNA modifications influence cancer behavior and therapy response. The R61 phase focuses on establishing foundational methods and data resources that could guide future translational studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with lung cancer may benefit from future therapies that target RNA modification pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that RNA modifications influence cancer, but a broadly applicable mapping technology for D (and related edits) across the transcriptome is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Northeastern University
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rouhanifard, Sara Hakim — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Rouhanifard, Sara Hakim
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.