How DNA regulatory regions influence prostate cancer risk
Elucidating prostate cancer risk mechanisms through large-scale cistrome wide association studies
This project uses genome-wide maps of regulatory DNA to find genetic changes that raise prostate cancer risk in men.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11169837 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are combining large-scale maps of regulatory DNA (the cistrome) with genetic data from prostate cancer studies to pinpoint non-coding variants that may drive risk. They will build new computational and statistical tools that jointly model QTL signals and allelic imbalance to prioritize likely causal variants and the genes they affect. Promising candidates will be tested experimentally using laboratory assays that measure chromatin accessibility and gene regulation, including ATAC-seq. Although focused on prostate cancer, the methods could be applied to understand non-coding risk variants in other diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with prostate cancer or men willing to donate blood or prostate tissue for genetic and molecular analysis would be the most relevant participants for related sample collection efforts.
Not a fit: People with cancers unrelated to the prostate or those seeking immediate changes in their clinical care are unlikely to see direct benefits from this research right away.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve genetic risk prediction and point to new targets for prevention or treatment of prostate cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous GWAS and regulatory-mapping work has linked non-coding variants to prostate cancer risk, but this large-scale cistrome-wide modeling and joint QTL/allelic imbalance approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freedman, Matthew L — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Freedman, Matthew 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.