Developing new drugs to fight cancer by targeting a specific protein process
Official title: Discovery and anti-tumor activity of the first antagonists targeting human Sonic Hedgehog autoprocessing
Funded at State University of Ny,binghamton · NIH-11051241 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for new small molecules that can help stop cancer growth by targeting a special protein called Sonic Hedgehog, and it's testing these potential treatments on cancer cells from patients with multiple myeloma and colon cancer to find better options for them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of Ny,binghamton NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Binghamton, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2024 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $219,881 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA282857-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11051241 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adults diagnosed with multiple myeloma or colon cancer that depend on Sonic Hedgehog signaling for growth.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers that do not involve Sonic Hedgehog signaling may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on creating small molecules that can inhibit a unique process in cancer cells involving the Sonic Hedgehog protein, which is crucial for tumor growth. The team has developed a high-throughput screening method to identify these potential drug-like compounds. By testing these compounds on human cancer cells, particularly those related to multiple myeloma and colon cancer, the research aims to evaluate their effectiveness in stopping tumor growth. Patients may benefit from new treatment options that specifically target the underlying mechanisms of their cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to innovative therapies that effectively combat specific types of cancer.
How similar studies have gone: While targeting the Sonic Hedgehog pathway has been explored, this specific approach using autoprocessing antagonists is novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
State University of Ny,binghamton
Binghamton, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Callahan, Brian Patrick — State University of Ny,binghamton
- Study coordinator: Callahan, Brian Patrick
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Chemical methods to control RNA function in cells
A scientist-led project explores new chemical tweaks to how regulatory RNAs work, with potential implications for biology and medicine.
-
A quick, online program to help high school students cut back on drinking with parent support
A brief, web-based program for 11th–12th graders, plus a parent-focused component, aims to reduce risky drinking in high school students.
-
Prefrontal Brain Development and Adolescent Reward-Seeking Behavior
A young-person study explores how changing brain circuits during adolescence influence impulse control and reward-driven behaviors.
-
Anterior cingulate changes with prenatal and adolescent alcohol exposure
This grant studies how alcohol exposure before birth and during adolescence may alter brain circuits related to addiction and pain, aiming to understand why some youths develop problematic drinking and anxiety later.
-
Sex-specific withdrawal effects of alcohol during adolescence
This grant studies how adolescent boys and girls differ in withdrawal from alcohol and how brain signals in the fear-and-anxiety center (the central amygdala) may explain those differences.
-
AIE, BBB Regulation, and Neurovascular Health in Alzheimer’s-Related Dementia
This NIH grant supports work on how intermittent alcohol exposure in adolescence affects the brain’s protective barrier and blood flow in people and animal models at risk for Alzheimer’s-related dementia.
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.