Illumine: mapping hidden cancer proteins to uncover new treatment paths
Official title: ILLUMINE - Exploiting the Dark Proteome to fight cancer
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11506175 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large NIH grant is funding researchers to study the dark proteome—a set of proteins not explained by DNA mutations—to understand their role in cancer and explore new immunotherapy and other treatment approaches.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,422,156 |
| NIH project number | 1OT2CA319961-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11506175 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with various cancers, especially where dark proteome targets are relevant, and those eligible for future immunotherapies or targeted treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancers driven by or responsive to dark proteome–based strategies may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Cancer biology researchers will map dark proteome proteins across several cancer types, study how they are produced and regulated, and determine their functions in tumor biology. The project aims to build a pre-clinical to clinical pipeline for therapies that target these mysterious proteins and to explore non-immunotherapy strategies as well. By combining proteomics, genomics, chemistry, and translation to patient care, the team hopes to translate basic discoveries into new treatment options for cancer patients. The work is conducted at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston with a multidisciplinary team led by Dr. Reuven Agami and collaborators from multiple fields. The grant supports early-stage research over the specified period to advance understanding and potential clinical applications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could gain new cancer therapies derived from targeting the dark proteome.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work in related proteomics and immunotherapy fields has demonstrated promise for translating molecular discoveries into therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Catherine Ju-Ying — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Wu, Catherine Ju-Ying
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.