How mother's and father's X chromosomes can compete in the body and in cancer
Official title: Competition between maternal and paternal X chromosomes in human biology and cancer
Funded at San Francisco State University · NIH-11319836 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at whether the versions of the X chromosome you inherit from your mother or father act differently in people and how those differences relate to cancer and other health issues.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Francisco State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | May 16, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $155,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16GM149480-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319836 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with cancers—especially those where sex or X-chromosome biology seems relevant—or patients willing to donate tumor tissue or blood samples would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking an immediate change in their current treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic research in the short term.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team is examining how X chromosomes inherited from each parent influence gene control in human cells, with a focus on microRNA networks and gene expression patterns. They will use laboratory analyses of cellular and molecular data to map regulatory and transcriptomic differences linked to the X chromosome. The work will connect those molecular patterns to cancer biology to understand when parental-origin conflicts might drive tumor behavior. Results will help guide ideas for future conflict-focused treatments or biomarkers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal new molecular markers or targets that explain sex- and X-linked differences in some cancers and eventually guide better diagnostics or therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have mapped X-chromosome gene expression and X inactivation, but applying the idea of parental-origin intragenomic conflict to human cancer is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
San Francisco State University
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roy, Scott — San Francisco State University
- Study coordinator: Roy, Scott
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.