How DNA folds to control gene activity
Deciphering the Stepwise Regulatory Mechanisms of Genome Folding
This project looks at how the genome folds inside cells and how those folding patterns affect gene activity in health and diseases like cancer and developmental disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326284 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study the three-dimensional folding of DNA and the role of the cohesin protein complex using advanced imaging and sequencing approaches. They will map physical contacts between distant regulatory DNA elements and gene promoters and track how those contacts form step by step. The team will combine single-molecule imaging, proximity-ligation sequencing, and genetic manipulations in cell models to identify molecules that control loop formation. Findings will be linked to patterns seen in cancers and developmental disorders to point toward future diagnostic or therapeutic directions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers or certain developmental disorders who are willing to provide tissue or blood samples for research or to be considered for future related clinical studies would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate changes to their clinical care should not expect direct or short-term therapeutic benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal molecular mechanisms behind misregulated genes in cancer and developmental disorders and highlight targets for future diagnostics or treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Past laboratory and imaging studies have shown cohesin can drive DNA loop extrusion and that altered genome folding is seen in cancers, but translating these basic findings into clinical tests or treatments remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Wonho — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Kim, Wonho
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.