How the protective end caps of chromosomes (telomeres) fold and are accessed
Official title: Structure, Accessibility and Extension of Telomeric Overhangs
Funded at Kent State University · NIH-11263624 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the single-stranded ends of human chromosomes fold and where they are open to enzymes, which matters for cancer and cell aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kent State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kent, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $355,495 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM156183-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11263624 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll patients and is a laboratory study using human-derived sequences and proteins, so there are no patient eligibility criteria.
✕Less likely to help
People looking for immediate clinical treatments should not expect direct benefit because this is preclinical basic science.
What this research studies
The team will use high-resolution single-molecule imaging and computer modeling to map how long telomeric overhangs fold into G-quadruplex stacks and where unfolded gaps appear. They will study human telomeric sequences and telomere-associated proteins in the lab to see which regions are reachable by enzymes like telomerase or by DNA repair factors. The work is laboratory-based (not a treatment) and focuses on detailed molecular pictures that are hard to get with older methods. Results could point to new molecular targets for future cancer therapies or ways to influence cellular aging.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new molecular targets to interfere with cancer cell telomere maintenance or protect healthy cells from premature aging.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has detailed short telomeric structures, but applying single-molecule FRET-PAINT to physiologically long telomeric overhangs is a novel and less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
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Kent State University
Kent, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Balci, Hamza — Kent State University
- Study coordinator: Balci, Hamza
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.