How neuroendocrine cells change in normal tissues and in cancer
Project 1 - Epigenetic Control of Normal and Malignant Neuroendocrine Differentiation
This project looks at the gene and epigenetic switches that cause neuroendocrine cells in organs like the lung, intestine, skin, and prostate to become cancerous, with the goal of finding common treatment targets.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308230 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use new human cell models of normal enteroendocrine (neuroendocrine) cell development and compare them with tumor samples from cancers such as small cell lung cancer, small intestine neuroendocrine tumors, Merkel cell carcinoma, and neuroendocrine prostate cancer. They will map the core transcription factors (for example ASCL1, ATOH1, INSM1, NEUROD1) and epigenetic marks that define neuroendocrine identity and see how loss of tumor suppressors like RB and TP53 alters that program. The team will study how common oncogenic pathways intersect with this program to find shared vulnerabilities across different neuroendocrine cancers. Findings will guide lab and translational work to point toward therapies that could work across multiple neuroendocrine tumor types.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with neuroendocrine cancers — including small cell lung cancer, treatment-emergent neuroendocrine prostate cancer, small intestine NETs, or Merkel cell carcinoma — or those willing to donate tumor tissue or samples to research would be the most relevant participants.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers that do not have neuroendocrine features, or healthy volunteers with no relation to these tumor types, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal shared molecular targets across several hard-to-treat neuroendocrine cancers and lead to new therapies or clinical trials.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has identified transcription factors like ASCL1 and NEUROD1 as important in neuroendocrine cancers, but translating these findings into effective, broadly applicable treatments remains largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Dana-Farber Cancer Inst — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shivdasani, Ramesh a — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Shivdasani, Ramesh a
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.