How the MN1 protein drives aggressive acute myeloid leukemia
Official title: A stalled chromatin regulatory network that mediates the oncogenic activity of Meningioma-1
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11305301 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the MN1 protein and its partner BAF complex keep leukemia genes active in people with acute myeloid leukemia to reveal new treatment targets.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $438,480 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA262260-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11305301 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with acute myeloid leukemia, particularly those whose leukemia shows high MN1 expression or who have relapsed or refractory disease.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other cancers or AML cases that do not involve MN1 are less likely to gain direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
You or others with AML could benefit from work that focuses on MN1, a protein often overactive in worse-outcome AML. Researchers will study how MN1 binds the BAF chromatin-remodeling complex and keeps gene switches (enhancers and promoters) turned on. They will use lab-grown cells and mouse models plus molecular mapping techniques to track promoter-enhancer contacts. The goal is to find points where drugs could disrupt this abnormal gene activation and slow or stop leukemia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new drug targets to treat MN1-driven AML, especially for patients who do not respond to standard therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Prior laboratory and mouse studies have linked MN1 and chromatin remodelers to aggressive leukemia, but turning these findings into human treatments remains an emerging effort.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bernt, Kathrin M — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Bernt, Kathrin M
Related research
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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.