How a part of PALB2 helps repair DNA
Official title: Mechanism of homologous recombination driven by the intrinsically disordered domain of tumor suppressor PALB2
Funded at Saint Louis University · NIH-11317229 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Find out how a region of the PALB2 protein helps cells repair broken DNA that can lead to cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Saint Louis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $303,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM154323-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11317229 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people with known BRCA1, BRCA2, or PALB2 mutations or those willing to donate blood or tumor samples for DNA repair research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate treatment changes or direct clinical benefit are unlikely to benefit because this is basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
Researchers are exploring how an unstructured part of the PALB2 protein can recombine and repair DNA strands inside cells. In the laboratory they will map the sequence and structural features of this PALB2 region, test how it binds DNA and interacts with BRCA1/BRCA2, and run biochemical assays that recreate steps of homologous recombination. The team will also search for similar disordered DNA-binding regions in other repair proteins to see if this is a common repair tool. Work uses purified proteins and molecular experiments and may include analysis of human-derived samples or data.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve understanding of BRCA-related DNA repair and eventually guide new diagnostics or therapies for hereditary cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Research on BRCA-driven homologous recombination is well established, but the specific unstructured DNA-binding activity of PALB2 is a recent discovery and remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
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Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Korolev, Sergey — Saint Louis University
- Study coordinator: Korolev, Sergey
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.