Blocking early switches that make prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy
Targeting Early Drivers of Prostate Cancer Lineage Plasticity
This project aims to stop early molecular switches in advanced prostate cancer that allow tumors to stop responding to androgen (hormone) treatments for men with metastatic castration-resistant disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11318994 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze genomic data from biopsies taken from men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer to identify transcriptional regulators that rise early as tumors lose androgen signaling. In lab models, the team will turn these regulators on and off to see how they affect tumor cell identity and androgen receptor activity. They will then test approaches to target those early drivers to prevent tumors from switching to alternative, treatment-resistant cell programs. The work is focused on preventing the process that makes advanced prostate cancers resistant to current hormone therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are men with metastatic or castration-resistant prostate cancer, particularly those whose tumors show low androgen receptor activity or early evidence of lineage switching.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage localized prostate cancer or people without prostate cancer are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that prevent or reverse the changes that make prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy, potentially keeping standard treatments effective longer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have identified factors in late-stage neuroendocrine prostate cancer, but targeting early drivers of lineage plasticity is a newer approach with limited clinical evidence so far.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alumkal, Joshi James — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Alumkal, Joshi James
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 below.