Illuminating the dark proteome to fight cancer
Official title: Project ILLUMINE - Exploiting the Dark Proteome to fight cancer
Funded at Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res · NIH-11516315 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research program aims to map and understand mysterious dark proteome proteins in cancer and to develop pre-clinical therapies that target them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $781,718 |
| NIH project number | 1OT2CA321158-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11516315 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with cancer where dark proteome mechanisms are relevant, potentially across multiple tumor types.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer does not involve dark proteome mechanisms or who are not eligible for future dark proteome-targeted therapies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores a newly recognized set of proteins, not explained by DNA changes, that may drive cancer. A diverse team will map these dark proteome molecules across cancers, study how they are produced and regulated, and test how they influence tumor behavior. The effort includes creating a bench-to-bedside development pipeline for therapies that target these proteins and examining non-immunotherapy ways to exploit them. The work blends cancer biology, proteomics, genomics, chemistry, and translation toward potential clinical applications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from new therapeutic approaches targeting the dark proteome in cancer.
How similar studies have gone: This is a novel area with ongoing exploration; prior work suggests the dark proteome is a promising but still emerging target.
Where this research is happening
-
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weissman, Jonathan S. — Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Res
- Study coordinator: Weissman, Jonathan S.
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.