Investigating how loss of a specific tumor suppressor affects lung cancer growth
Official title: Regulation of GLI1, a synthetic lethal target of SMARCA4-deficiency, in lung adenocarcinoma
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11039974 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a missing protein called BRG1 affects a cancer-related gene called GLI1 in lung adenocarcinoma, with the goal of finding new treatment options for patients whose cancer is linked to the loss of BRG1.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $387,868 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA258684-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11039974 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma who have mutations in the SMARCA4/BRG1 gene.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with lung adenocarcinoma who do not have SMARCA4/BRG1 mutations may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on lung adenocarcinoma, particularly how the loss of the SMARCA4/BRG1 tumor suppressor influences the expression of GLI1, a transcription factor linked to poor survival outcomes. The study aims to understand the mechanisms by which BRG1 loss leads to increased GLI1 expression, which may drive cancer growth. By using genetic and pharmacological methods to inhibit GLI1, the researchers hope to find new therapeutic strategies for patients with BRG1-deficient lung cancer, a group currently lacking effective treatment options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatment options for patients with BRG1-deficient lung adenocarcinoma.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of targeting GLI1 in BRG1-deficient lung cancer is novel, similar strategies targeting other pathways have shown promise in cancer treatment.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, James — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Kim, James
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding a highly flexible cell state in lung cancer that worsens outcomes
A doctor-scientist at Cedars-Sinai wants to learn how a highly adaptable lung cancer cell state drives disease progression and resistance to therapy, using models that resemble human tumors.
-
Breaking cytokine loops in LKB1-mutant lung cancer and the immune system
A researcher at NYU School of Medicine is studying why a common lung cancer subtype with a specific mutation doesn’t respond well to current immunotherapy, with the aim of finding new ways to improve treatment.
-
Lung Adenocarcinoma: From Genome Changes to New Therapies
This NIH grant supports research on lung adenocarcinoma to better understand its genome changes and translate that knowledge into better diagnosis and treatments for patients.
-
Understanding how lung cancer and immune cells influence each other in early lung cancer development
A study looks at how lung cells and immune cells change together as early lung cancer (lung adenocarcinoma) develops, with the goal of finding points to intervene early.
-
Targeting a cancer pathway to stop metastasis in SMARCA4-deficient lung cancer
This grant aims to understand and interrupt a key pathway that drives spread of a specific type of lung cancer in people whose tumors have SMARCA4 mutations.
-
Combining imaging and biopsy genes to spot aggressive vs. slow-growing early lung cancer before surgery
Aimed at people with early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, this project tests a combined imaging and biopsy gene‑marker approach to better predict tumor aggressiveness before surgery.
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.