How RNA chemical tags (m6A) shape blood cancers like AML
Mechanisms of epitranscriptomic regulation in cancer
Testing whether drugs that block the m6A-making enzyme METTL3 can push acute myeloid leukemia cells to stop acting like stem cells and become more mature.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123460 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are looking at a chemical tag on RNA called m6A that helps control whether blood stem cells self-renew or mature, and these tags are changed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The team will study a heavily methylated gene called SON and compare what happens when METTL3 is genetically removed versus when METTL3 is blocked with drugs in leukemia cells and model systems. They will map cellular pathways that make cells more or less sensitive to METTL3-blocking drugs to explain why drugs and genetic loss of METTL3 act differently. The goal is to find molecular clues that could guide which patients might respond to METTL3-targeted treatments in the future.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with acute myeloid leukemia, particularly those whose disease shows undifferentiated or stem-cell–like features, would be the most relevant group for this work.
Not a fit: People without AML or whose leukemia does not depend on m6A/METTL3-driven pathways are unlikely to benefit from this line of work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new targeted therapies or tests to predict which AML patients might benefit from drugs that block METTL3.
How similar studies have performed: Preclinical lab studies show METTL3 inhibition can preferentially affect cancer cells and m6A has been implicated in AML, but clinical evidence for METTL3-targeting therapies is still limited.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jaffrey, Samie R — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Jaffrey, Samie R
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.