Androgen receptor changes in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Official title: Androgen Receptor Action in Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11198064 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether changes in the androgen receptor let prostate cancer survive hormone therapy and whether those weaknesses can be targeted to help men with castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 24, 2013 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,990,456 |
| NIH project number | 2P01CA163227-11A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11198064 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men with advanced prostate cancer that no longer responds to standard androgen-deprivation or AR-targeted therapies, especially those willing to provide tumor tissue or participate in clinical trials, would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage localized prostate cancer or tumors driven by non-AR mechanisms may not receive direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers study how the androgen receptor controls genes that let prostate cancer cells survive and grow and how tumors adapt to escape modern anti-androgen treatments. They map AR binding sites and analyze genomic and epigenomic changes in tumor tissue, laboratory models, and patient-derived samples, then test drugs that might exploit newly discovered vulnerabilities. The program includes projects focused on AR-driven survival pathways and on mechanisms of resistance to AR antagonists, using molecular profiling and preclinical testing to guide therapy choices. Results are intended to identify specific markers and treatment approaches that could move into clinical trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new drug targets or biomarkers to help treat or delay castration-resistant prostate cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies support a continued central role for AR in resistant prostate cancer and some AR-targeted treatments work, but many resistance mechanisms remain novel and under active study.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balk, Steven P. — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Balk, Steven P.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how aggressive cell states emerge in castration-resistant prostate cancer
A research project aims to uncover the hidden cell states that help prostate cancer resist standard therapy and how these states arise early in tumor development.
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Enhancer RNA CYP11A1-eRNA in castration-resistant prostate cancer
Researchers are testing a new RNA-based target, CYP11A1-eRNA, to see if blocking it can hamper the growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer in the lab and animal models.
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Targeted Immunostimulatory Dual Drug Conjugates for Heterogeneous Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Researchers are testing a targeted therapy approach to help people with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer by boosting the immune system and delivering drugs directly to cancer cells.
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Androgen Receptor Action in Prostate Cancer that Stops Responding to Therapy
This grant supports research to understand why certain prostate cancers stop responding to AR-targeted therapies and to find new ways to target them.
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Hyperactive methylation in a hard-to-treat prostate cancer subtype
Researchers are studying a newly identified methylation-heavy group of advanced prostate cancer to understand its biology and find clues for better treatments.
-
Therapeutic Targeting of Lineage Plasticity in Advanced Prostate Cancer
A cancer research effort aimed at understanding and tackling how aggressive prostate cancers become resistant to standard AR-targeted therapies.
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.