Finding hidden DNA changes that affect gene control in multiple myeloma
Official title: Identifying and characterizing functional noncoding mutations in multiple myeloma
Funded at Hackensack University Medical Center · NIH-11306573 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking for DNA changes outside of genes that may change how genes are turned on or off in people with multiple myeloma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project start | April 13, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $706,026 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA270252-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306573 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a diagnosis of multiple myeloma who can provide tumor samples (bone marrow/plasma cells) and a blood sample, especially from the common molecular subtypes being studied, would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without multiple myeloma or patients expecting immediate changes to their clinical treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
This project compares whole-genome DNA and DNA methylation from myeloma tumor cells to the patient’s normal B cells to spot differences linked to noncoding mutations. The team will map regions where methylation differs between the two cell types and where one DNA copy shows different methylation (allele-specific methylation). Candidate noncoding mutations that alter transcription factor or insulator binding will be tested in lab assays to see if they change gene activity. The goal is to pinpoint noncoding changes that could drive myeloma and suggest new targets for future treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular causes of myeloma and point to novel targets for diagnosis or treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Genome-wide sequencing and methylation mapping have uncovered functional noncoding mutations in some cancers, but applying combined WGS and methyl-seq specifically to multiple myeloma is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Hackensack University Medical Center
Hackensack, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tycko, Benjamin — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Tycko, Benjamin
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Integrative study of multiple myeloma genetics and disease biology
A team at Dana-Farber and partners is pursuing a long-term project to understand the genetic and molecular drivers of multiple myeloma and how treatments interact with disease biology.
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Comparative Modeling to Prevent, Detect Early, and Treat Multiple Myeloma
A research team will build and compare computer models to understand how multiple myeloma develops, can be detected earlier, and treated more effectively.
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How LDL Affects Multiple Myeloma: New Pathways to Keep Remission
A new grant is studying how cholesterol from LDL particles fuels multiple myeloma and how this interaction influences the tumor environment and immune response, with goals to help patients stay in remission.
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Therapy-induced senescence and immune activation in multiple myeloma
A study in people with multiple myeloma will explore how treatment-related senescence in cancer cells may stimulate the immune system and affect cancer return after standard frontline therapy.
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BCMA CAR-T enteritis: understanding immune toxicities in multiple myeloma
A broad study to uncover why some CAR-T cell treatments targeting BCMA cause severe intestinal inflammation in people with multiple myeloma.
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Understanding Drug-Resistant Multiple Myeloma to Stop Relapse
Researchers are studying why some myeloma cells resist treatment and how to create new therapies to prevent relapse.
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.