How human cells control the DNA mark 5-hydroxymethylcytosine
Official title: Control mechanisms of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine metabolism in human cells
Funded at Texas A&m University-Kingsville · NIH-11159647 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how brain cells make or lose a DNA mark called 5-hydroxymethylcytosine that is linked to cancers such as glioblastoma and lymphoma.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University-Kingsville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kingsville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $138,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM145578-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159647 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cancers linked to 5hmC loss such as glioblastoma or lymphoma, or patients willing to donate tumor or blood samples for research, would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to cancer or epigenetic DNA changes, or those seeking immediate clinical therapies, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this lab-based project.
What this research studies
This project uses human induced-pluripotent stem cells turned into neurons to find proteins that control enzymes making the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) DNA mark. The team will use CRISPR tools activated by blue light to create DNA damage and watch how 5hmC forms and changes during repair. Their lab system aims to produce uniform human cell models that let them test many genes and compounds quickly. The work is done in human-derived cells in the lab, not in patients, but it is designed to help discover targets and tests related to cancer and brain cell biology.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new drug targets or biomarkers to predict or overcome treatment resistance in cancers that lose the 5hmC mark.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that loss of 5hmC is associated with worse outcomes in some cancers, but the specific control mechanisms remain largely unproven and are still being worked out.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University-Kingsville
Kingsville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Haeyoung — Texas A&m University-Kingsville
- Study coordinator: Kim, Haeyoung
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.