How ancestry-related genes affect prostate cancer aggressiveness
Investigating the mechanisms of driver genes associated with ancestry and aggressiveness in prostate cancer
Researchers are comparing tumor genes and making new cell models to learn why prostate cancer can be more aggressive in African American men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326285 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you take part in related efforts, researchers will sequence tumor DNA from hundreds of archived prostate cancer samples from African American and European American men to find gene changes linked to tumor grade. They will grow organoids (mini tumor models) from patient tissue and use single-cell RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry to see how different cell types behave. The team will create new prostate cell models from African American patients using a conditional reprogramming method and then use CRISPR/Cas9 to change candidate driver genes to see how those changes affect tumor behavior. The goal is to connect ancestry-linked genetic changes with cellular programs that may drive more aggressive disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be African American men with prostate cancer who can provide or whose archived tumor tissue is available for research use.
Not a fit: People without prostate cancer or those unable or unwilling to provide tumor tissue would not directly benefit from participating in this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could identify biomarkers and targets that lead to better risk prediction and more tailored treatments for African American men with prostate cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Genomic sequencing, organoid models, and CRISPR editing have helped identify cancer drivers before, but applying these methods specifically to ancestry-linked prostate cancer in African American men is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Campbell, Joshua D — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Campbell, Joshua D
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 below.