How cancer genes are switched on by DNA enhancer networks
High resolution dissection of oncogene enhancer networks via CRISPR screening and live-cell imaging.
['FUNDING_R01'] · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · NIH-11182634
Using CRISPR and live-cell imaging, researchers will map the DNA 'switches' that control cancer genes like MYC and BCL2 to help people with cancers driven by those genes.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | STANFORD UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (STANFORD, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11182634 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project studies the non-coding DNA regions called enhancers that work together to control oncogenes. Scientists will use large-scale CRISPR guide libraries to perturb pairs of enhancers and see how combinations affect gene activity. They will combine those screens with live-cell imaging to watch gene regulation in real time and build a high-resolution map of enhancer networks for genes such as MYC and BCL2. Most experiments are done in lab-grown human cells as models of cancer biology.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers known to involve MYC or BCL2 alterations (for example some lymphomas, leukemias, or solid tumors) are the most likely beneficiaries and could be asked to provide tissue or data in future work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments or those whose cancers are driven by unrelated mechanisms are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new molecular targets for drugs or diagnostics that more precisely shut down dangerous cancer gene activity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior CRISPR-based enhancer screens and genomic studies have identified regulatory elements for cancer genes, but this scale of paired-guide screening combined with live-cell imaging is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
STANFORD, UNITED STATES
- STANFORD UNIVERSITY — STANFORD, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: QI, LEI STANLEY — STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: QI, LEI STANLEY
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.