How protein machines control DNA packaging and repair in cancer
The Role of Dynamics in Regulating Multi-Activity Protein Complexes and Chromatin
This work looks at how protein machines that wrap and repair DNA change shape and affect gene control in cancers to help people with cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Dallas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richardson, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11330486 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will examine groups of proteins that package DNA (chromatin) and how their shapes and interactions change over time using advanced lab methods. They will use hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry together with structural and biophysical techniques to map protein motions and how modifications or mutations alter behavior. Experiments will recreate these multi-protein complexes in controlled systems and in cell models to see how dynamics affect access to DNA for transcription, replication, and repair. The goal is to connect those molecular changes to problems like genomic instability and altered gene activity seen in some cancers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers marked by DNA repair defects or abnormal chromatin regulation would be the most relevant for related biospecimen or follow-on therapeutic studies.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are driven by mechanisms unrelated to chromatin structure or DNA repair are unlikely to see direct benefit in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new molecular targets or strategies to correct faulty DNA packaging and improve cancer therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Related structural and chromatin studies have revealed key cancer mechanisms and led to drugs, but applying HDX-MS to whole multi-protein chromatin machines is a relatively new and specialized approach.
Where this research is happening
Richardson, United States
- University of Texas Dallas — Richardson, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: D'arcy, Sheena — University of Texas Dallas
- Study coordinator: D'arcy, Sheena
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.