How PARP and androgen signals affect DNA damage in prostate cancer
Functional Interplay Between PARP, AR and DNA Damage
Looking at whether targeting PARP and androgen receptor pathways can improve treatment for men with prostate cancer, especially those with BRCA1 or BRCA2 changes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11198068 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has prostate cancer, this work looks at how PARP proteins and the androgen receptor influence DNA damage in tumors. Researchers will examine tumor samples and use lab models and genomic tools like ATAC-seq to see how PARP inhibitors and hormone-blocking drugs change cancer cells and DNA repair. They will focus on cancers with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and also study tumors without those mutations to understand who benefits and why resistance develops. The goal is to help guide better use of existing drugs and suggest new drug combinations that could help patients live longer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with prostate cancer—particularly those with germline or somatic BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations or other DNA repair defects—are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: People without prostate cancer or patients whose tumors lack involvement of PARP/androgen pathways and who are homologous-recombination proficient may not benefit from these findings in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help identify which patients will benefit from PARP inhibitors or combined PARP-androgen therapies and improve treatment strategies.
How similar studies have performed: PARP inhibitors are already effective in some BRCA-mutant prostate cancers, but using them in HR-proficient tumors or combining them with androgen-blocking approaches is still being worked out.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Myles a — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Brown, Myles 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.