How DNA-packaging proteins control cancer-related genes
Structural studies of chromatin complexes
This project looks at how proteins that package DNA change gene activity linked to cancer, to help guide the development of better cancer treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257322 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are studying the nucleosome, the package that wraps DNA, to learn how chemical tags on histone proteins change gene activity in cancer. They use high-resolution imaging (cryo-electron microscopy) to create 3D models of chromatin complexes. Those models are tested with laboratory binding and enzyme assays using nucleosome samples to see how the enzymes and reader proteins work. Understanding these mechanisms aims to inform the design of new drugs that target chromatin enzymes and readers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This is a lab-based basic science project that does not enroll patients, though people with cancer could be future beneficiaries or donors of tumor or tissue samples in related studies.
Not a fit: Patients needing immediate clinical treatment or those without cancer are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable new, more targeted cancer therapies that act on chromatin-regulating enzymes and reader proteins.
How similar studies have performed: Some epigenetic-targeting drugs already exist, but this structural approach focuses on basic mechanisms to enable future, more precise therapies rather than providing immediate treatments.
Where this research is happening
University Park, United States
- Pennsylvania State University, the — University Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tan, Song — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Tan, Song
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.