How damaged DNA and related chemistry change cells and cancer
Diverse Nucleic Acids Chemistry: FundamentalStudies and Applications.
This work learns how chemical damage to DNA alters proteins and cell behavior in ways that matter for people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11091186 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project focuses on how different chemical lesions in DNA lead to downstream changes inside cells, including modifications to histone proteins that package DNA. The team makes model nucleosome particles, uses organic and biochemical methods, and studies effects in cultured cells to trace the chain of events from damage to cellular response. They also design chemical tools that help detect and manipulate these damaged DNA sites in cells. The goal is to clarify whether DNA damage itself, or the cellular chemistry that follows, causes harmful effects like cell death.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers linked to DNA damage pathways, or those willing to donate tissue or samples for laboratory research, would be most relevant to this line of work.
Not a fit: Patients without cancer or whose condition is unrelated to DNA-damage mechanisms are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could uncover new markers or targets tied to DNA-damage pathways that inform cancer diagnostics or future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous basic chemistry and cell biology studies have revealed DNA-damage pathways and produced useful research tools, though some specific histone modifications examined here are newly described.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Greenberg, Marc M — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Greenberg, Marc M
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.