ATM's role in stopping lymphoid cancers
Official title: The role of ATM in the suppression of lymphoid malignancy
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11387555 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher at Columbia is studying how ATM helps prevent lymphoid cancers and what goes wrong when ATM is mutated.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2011 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,289,269 |
| NIH project number | 4R01CA158073-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387555 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with ATM mutations or related lymphoid conditions could potentially benefit from advances in targeted therapies or risk assessment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without ATM mutations or with cancers not linked to ATM changes may not experience direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how ATM kinase protects against lymphoid cancers like acute T-cell leukemia and T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. Researchers use mouse models with different ATM mutations to understand how ATM behaves at DNA damage sites and how its kinase activity changes cancer risk. The goal is to connect ATM’s normal cell-repair functions to the development of lymphoma and identify why some ATM mutations lead to cancer. The work also considers how existing and future therapies might target ATM-mutant cancers to improve outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating ATM-mutant lymphoid cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies showed ATM’s involvement in DNA damage response and its complex role in cancer, supporting the relevance of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zha, Shan — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Zha, Shan
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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.