ATM kinase as a target to help NSCLC with brain metastases respond to treatment
Official title: Project 3: The ATM Kinase as a Therapeutic Target in Drug Resistant NSCLC with Brain Metastasis
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11417454 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study from Yale University tests whether blocking ATM kinase can delay or overcome treatment resistance in people with advanced non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to the brain and other organs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $525,801 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA196530-12 |
| Project ID | NIH-11417454 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with NSCLC that has spread to the brain or other organs and whose tumors show ATM-related signaling features.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not rely on ATM signaling or cannot access BBB-penetrant inhibitors may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how the ATM protein helps cancer cells survive treatment and spread. Researchers will use brain-penetrant ATM inhibitors to see if blocking ATM makes standard therapies work better in NSCLC with metastases. The team will study patient-relevant tumor samples and models to identify key ATM-related pathways that drive resistance. They plan to apply data-independent mass spectrometry to pinpoint context-specific ATM effects that matter for therapy response. The work aims to translate findings into strategies that could extend the effectiveness of existing treatments for patients with NSCLC and brain involvement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve how well current therapies work for NSCLC patients with brain metastases and potentially delay disease progression.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work suggests ATM inhibition can enhance therapy response in metastatic NSCLC models.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nguyen, Don X — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Nguyen, Don X
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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.