Finding new ways to target difficult cancer proteins for treatment

Tackling Undruggable Cancer Targets using Chemoproteomic Platforms

NIH-funded research University of California Berkeley · NIH-10891451

This study is working on finding new ways to treat cancer by targeting proteins that are usually hard to reach with medicine, so that we can develop better treatments for patients.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California Berkeley NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Berkeley, United States)
Project IDNIH-10891451 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on overcoming a major hurdle in cancer treatment: more than 90% of proteins in the body are considered 'undruggable' because they lack known sites for drug binding. The team at UC Berkeley is developing innovative technologies to discover new ligands and therapeutic modalities that can effectively target these challenging proteins. By utilizing advanced chemoproteomic platforms, they aim to create next-generation therapies that can manipulate the undruggable proteome, potentially leading to more effective cancer treatments.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are patients with cancers that have not responded to existing treatments due to the undruggable nature of their cancer proteins.

Not a fit: Patients with cancers that are already effectively treated by current therapies may not receive benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of new cancer therapies that effectively target previously untreatable cancer proteins.

How similar studies have performed: While the approach to targeting the undruggable proteome is innovative, similar research has shown promise in advancing drug discovery techniques.

Where this research is happening

Berkeley, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Anti-Cancer AgentsCancer DrugCancersNeoplastic Disease Chemotherapeutic Agents
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.