How small cell lung cancer becomes resistant to chemotherapy
Official title: Replication Stress Sensing and Signaling Defects in SCLC
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11171382 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team is looking at how changes in a gene called SLFN11 affect whether small cell lung cancer responds to chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 16, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $350,490 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA288368-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11171382 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with small cell lung cancer—especially those whose tumors have stopped responding to chemotherapy or who can provide tumor samples—would be the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without small cell lung cancer or those seeking an immediate new treatment option are unlikely to benefit directly from this basic and translational research right away.
What this research studies
Researchers will study tumor cells and laboratory models of small cell lung cancer to see how SLFN11 controls the cell’s response to DNA damage from chemotherapy. They will create and test mutant versions of SLFN11 in cell lines to separate long-term effects from immediate actions at stalled DNA replication forks. complementary experiments will use animal and molecular models to map the pathways that let tumors survive replication stress. The goal is to find molecular steps that could be reversed or targeted to restore chemo sensitivity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to tests that predict who will benefit from chemotherapy and new approaches to overcome resistance.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that SLFN11 levels correlate with chemotherapy sensitivity across cancers, but using that knowledge to reverse resistance is still a newer, actively studied approach.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Poirier, John Thomas — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Poirier, John Thomas
Related research
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Understanding how replication stress affects a hard-to-treat breast cancer gene patients may carry
This grant explores how certain breast cancer gene defects interact with replication stress to influence cancer cell survival and treatment resistance, with potential implications for therapies in patients with BRCA2-related breast cancer.
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Replication Stress Sensing Defects in Small Cell Lung Cancer
A study in people might not be involved directly, but it aims to understand why a common lung cancer responds poorly to therapy over time by examining how cancer cells handle replication stress.
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.