How blocked cancer receptors help tumors resist targeted drugs
The kinase inhibited RTK forms a scaffold to drive therapeutic resistance in cancer
This work looks at how some cancers survive targeted receptor-blocking drugs so future treatments can work better for people with RTK-driven cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11309189 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
I want to know why targeted drugs stop working for people whose tumors depend on receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). The team studies how RTKs can keep acting as scaffolds after their enzyme activity is blocked, including changes like SUMOylation that let cancer cells reroute signals. They use molecular experiments in cancer cells and related laboratory models to map those pathways and test strategies to block the scaffold-driven resistance. Results may point toward new drug combinations to prevent or overcome treatment resistance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with cancers driven by RTKs—such as certain lung, breast, or other tumors—who have received or may receive kinase inhibitor therapy.
Not a fit: People with cancers not driven by RTKs or those seeking an immediate clinical treatment change are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new combinations or approaches that prevent or reverse resistance to targeted RTK drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work has identified resistance mechanisms like secondary mutations and RTK amplification, but the scaffold/SUMOylation mechanism is a newer direction that still needs validation.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Habib, Amyn — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Habib, Amyn
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.