How loss of the VHL protein drives kidney cancer
Official title: New Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor signaling in renal cancer
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11163345 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how losing the VHL protein changes RNA signals in clear cell kidney cancer to find new treatment targets for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | August 7, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $530,349 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA294636-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11163345 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, especially those whose tumors show VHL loss or who do not respond to HIF2α-targeted therapies, would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non–clear cell kidney cancers or tumors without VHL loss are less likely to receive direct benefit from this work.
What this research studies
If you have clear cell kidney cancer, researchers are studying how loss of the VHL tumor suppressor changes chemical tags on messenger RNA (called m6A) that affect which cancer genes are switched on or off. They will compare kidney cancer cells and samples with and without VHL using techniques called m6A RIP-Seq and RNA-Seq to find genes whose messages are stabilized or degraded. One key target they are following is PIK3R3, part of the PI3K pathway, which may be kept active through these RNA changes. The team hopes to identify weaknesses in VHL-deficient tumors that could lead to new drugs or better tests.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal new drug targets or biomarkers for people with VHL-deficient clear cell kidney cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Drugs targeting HIF2α have shown promise and m6A biology is an emerging cancer area, but the specific VHL–m6A control of PIK3R3 is a novel, early-stage direction.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Qing — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Qing
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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.