Genetic links between birth defects and childhood cancer
Official title: Integrating Epidemiologic and Genomic Data to Elucidate the Genetic Overlap Between Congenital Anomalies and Pediatric Cancer
Funded at University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr · NIH-11182584 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking for shared genes that might explain why some children born with birth defects have a higher chance of developing cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $466,814 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA284531-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182584 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children or young adults born with congenital anomalies (including chromosomal disorders or non-syndromic birth defects) who are in participating registries or have genetic samples available.
✕Less likely to help
People without congenital anomalies or those not represented in the participating registries or without available genetic samples are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You will hear about work that combines large birth-defect and cancer registries with genetic data to find inherited gene changes shared between specific birth defects and childhood cancers. The team is expanding prior registry-linkage work across multiple states and adding germline genomic sequencing to identify novel cancer predisposition genes. They will examine both chromosomal conditions (like Down syndrome) and non-chromosomal birth defects to find patterns of risk. Most results come from analyzing existing registry records and genetic samples rather than new clinical treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify children at higher cancer risk sooner and guide monitoring, genetic counseling, and personalized follow-up.
How similar studies have gone: Previous registry-linkage and genomic work from this team has already revealed new congenital anomaly–cancer links and identified a novel leukemia predisposition gene (USP9X), indicating the approach can yield discoveries.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huff, Chad Daniel — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Huff, Chad Daniel
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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.