How DNA folds inside cells and how that affects cancer
Official title: Mechanistic Studies of Genome Folding
Funded at Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr · NIH-11325448 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how the cell's DNA-folding machinery shapes the genome in three dimensions and how problems in that process relate to cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $470,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM154879-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325448 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people with cancer who are willing to provide tumor or blood samples to research teams at academic centers studying genome structure.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate clinical benefits or a new treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating because this is basic mechanistic research.
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, the team uses near-native cell nuclei and biochemical methods to watch the protein complex called cohesin as it forms loops in our DNA. They make modified versions of cohesin and capture different biochemical and shape states to see how those states guide gene activity. The work also looks at how these folding changes influence transcription, which can turn genes on or off in ways linked to cancer. Most of the work is done in the lab using human-derived materials rather than testing a new treatment in people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways that genome organization drives cancer and point to potential targets for future diagnostics or therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory studies have already shown that cohesin shapes chromatin loops and the investigators report new mechanistic insights, but translation to patient therapies remains at an early stage.
Where this research is happening
-
Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Yu — Research Inst of Fox Chase Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Liu, Yu
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.