How changes in cell acidity affect cancer growth
Roles for Intracellular pH Dynamics in Cancer
This work focuses on how shifts in acidity inside adult cancer cells change gene activity and help tumors grow, with the hope of guiding future treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11294355 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Scientists will study cancer cells and human tumor samples to see how intracellular pH (acidity) alters the way proteins bind DNA. They will focus on three important gene regulators—FOXC2, SOX4, and MAX—to test whether pH changes switch which genes are turned on in cancer cells. The team combines protein chemistry, cell biology, and samples from adult tumors to trace how pH dynamics influence tumor behavior and metabolism. The project also examines how some cancer mutations that change protein charge may gain cancer-promoting functions through altered pH sensitivity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with solid tumors who can provide tumor tissue or blood samples, or who receive care at UCSF or collaborating clinics, would be the most likely candidates to participate.
Not a fit: People without cancer, children, or patients who cannot or will not provide tissue/blood samples are unlikely to be directly involved or benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal new molecular targets to block pH-driven tumor growth and inform development of better cancer therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies showed intracellular pH affects some protein interactions, but applying this idea to transcription factor–DNA binding in cancer is a newer, relatively untested approach.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barber, Diane L — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Barber, Diane L
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.