How the SWI/SNF gene-control machinery is built and works in cancer
Mechanisms of SWI/SNF complex assembly and function
This project looks at how different versions of the SWI/SNF gene-control machine form and change the behavior of cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124902 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, the team is studying a protein complex called SWI/SNF that helps control which genes are turned on or off and is altered in many cancers. They will map how different combinations of its parts assemble, how chemical tags (post-translational modifications) and interactions with RNA change its activity, and how those changes affect gene control. The lab combines computer analyses with molecular and biochemical experiments in cells and samples to define distinct SWI/SNF forms and their functions. Over the next five years they aim to connect these molecular differences to how tumors behave and respond to therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers known to carry SWI/SNF mutations or those willing to provide tumor samples or genetic data would be the most relevant participants or sample donors.
Not a fit: People without cancer or whose tumors do not involve SWI/SNF alterations are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets for drugs or strategies tailored to cancers that have SWI/SNF changes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked SWI/SNF mutations to cancer and suggested some therapeutic leads, but detailed mapping of variant complexes and their regulation by RNA and chemical tags is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Raab, Jesse R. — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Raab, Jesse 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.