Epigenetic silencing of retrotransposons in cancer
Official title: Epigenetic Mechanisms of Retrotransposon Silencing
Funded at Van Andel Research Institute · NIH-11367497 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant aims to understand how cells keep retrotransposons quiet at the genetic level to protect healthy cells from damage and inflammation in cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Van Andel Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Grand Rapids, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $475,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147261-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11367497 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients whose cancers involve dysregulated epigenetic silencing or retrotransposon activity may benefit from future translational advances.
✕Less likely to help
This basic science grant may not directly benefit individual patients in the short term.
What this research studies
In this project, scientists will study how cells use chemical marks on DNA and histones to keep retrotransposons from becoming active. They focus on the Setdb-1 enzyme and its partners to see how it deposits H3K9 marks and maintains silence across retrotransposon sequences. The work will use advanced imaging and molecular biology techniques to map the factors that control this silencing in cancer-relevant cells. Understanding these mechanisms could reveal new targets to prevent retrotransposon-related damage in tumors and normal tissues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A deeper understanding of how retrotransposons are kept silent could lead to new cancer therapies that protect cells from inflammation and genomic instability.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that epigenetic silencing of retrotransposons is linked to disease, with partial success in identifying contributing factors and regulatory mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
Van Andel Research Institute
Grand Rapids, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Worden, Evan J — Van Andel Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Worden, Evan J
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.