Finding drugs that block a cancer-linked RNA modification
A High-Throughput Screening Platform to Discover RNA Methylation Inhibitors
Using a new cell-based fluorescent sensor to find compounds that stop a common RNA modification (m6A) that can drive some cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174569 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's view, researchers built a tiny fluorescent sensor that lights up when a specific chemical tag (m6A) is added to messenger RNA inside living cells. They will refine this sensor and make cell lines and tools so it works reliably in many lab tests. Then they will use high-throughput screening to test large libraries of compounds to find molecules that reduce m6A levels. The work is done in the lab and aims to produce candidate molecules for follow-up studies in cancer models.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers known to have changes in m6A regulators or whose tumor profiling shows m6A pathway alterations would be the most relevant future candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without m6A-related tumor changes or those looking for immediate treatment options are unlikely to benefit from this early-stage lab work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce new drug leads that target m6A RNA methylation and potentially lead to treatments for cancers driven by altered m6A regulation.
How similar studies have performed: Targeting m6A enzymes in cancer models has shown promise in preclinical studies, but effective small-molecule inhibitors remain scarce, so this approach is promising but still relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meyer, Kathryn D — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Meyer, Kathryn D
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.