ALT Cancer Telomere SUMOylation: Targeting a Achilles’ heel in cancer cells
Official title: Multi-faceted Regulation of Dynamic SUMOylation at ALT Cancer Telomeres
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-11463679 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A bright, patient-friendly look at a research project aiming to disrupt a cancer-specific process at the ends of chromosomes to slow or stop tumor growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | July 6, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $521,523 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA308360-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11463679 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with ALT-positive cancers, including certain bone sarcomas, could benefit from future therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage research may not yet translate into immediate treatments for all patients with cancer.
What this research studies
This project studies how cancer cells maintain their telomeres through the ALT pathway and how a SUMOylation hub at ALT telomeres supports their DNA repair and growth. Researchers will map the sequence of events that creates this SUMO hub and determine how SUMO modifications change during different steps of DNA repair at ALT telomeres. The goal is to identify therapeutic targets that can specifically disrupt ALT cancer cell survival without harming normal cells. The work combines molecular biology approaches with targeted experiments in cells to understand how SUMOylation drives ALT telomere maintenance. If successful, the findings could guide the development of new treatments for ALT-positive cancers such as certain bone sarcomas.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the project identifies a way to interrupt ALT telomere maintenance, it could lead to new therapies for ALT-positive cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows SUMOylation is important for ALT telomere biology; this project advances understanding to enable targeted therapies.
Where this research is happening
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Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Huaiying — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Huaiying
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.