Germline factors that raise the risk of clonal blood cell expansion
Official title: Mechanisms underlying germline predisposition to clonal hematopoiesis
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11433122 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant looks at how inherited genetic factors may raise the risk of clonal hematopoiesis, a condition in blood-forming cells tied to future blood cancers and heart disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $693,151 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL188013-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11433122 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inherited genetic risk factors for CHIP or those with family histories of clonal hematopoiesis-related conditions.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without germline risk variants or without CHIP-related risk factors may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project aims to understand why certain people are more likely to develop clonal hematopoiesis by studying inherited genetic variants and how they affect blood cell precursors. Researchers will use high-throughput assays and CRISPR techniques to test how noncoding DNA changes influence gene activity in human blood-forming cells. The work seeks to connect germline variants to the expansion of mutant blood cell clones, with a focus on the MSI2 gene and its role in self-renewal. The overarching goal is to identify biological pathways that predispose individuals to CHIP and related health risks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal molecular targets and pathways that inform risk assessment and future preventive strategies for CHIP-related conditions.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work with MPRA and CRISPR perturbations has identified functional variants and a potential target gene (MSI2) in hematopoietic cells, supporting potential downstream clinical translation.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nandakumar, Satish Kumar — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Nandakumar, Satish Kumar
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.