Mapping how cancer changes DNA packaging and nearby proteins
Proximity epigenomics for context-specific analysis of complex chromatin features
This project develops a lab method to find which proteins and DNA features sit next to each other in cancer cells so scientists can better understand how tumors change gene activity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11295442 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will create a laboratory technique that tags and captures pairs of proteins or DNA features that are physically near each other on chromatin in cancer cells. They will combine biochemical proximity labeling with sequencing to read where those paired interactions occur across the genome. Experiments will be performed in cell-based models and the resulting data will be analyzed with computational tools to map context-specific chromatin features. The goal is to reveal how complex protein–DNA interactions change in cancer and to point toward mechanisms that might be targeted by future therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with cancers driven by changes in chromatin biology might in the future be asked to donate tumor samples for related follow-up studies or be eligible for therapies that arise from this work.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment improvements or those with cancers unrelated to chromatin changes are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify new molecular mechanisms and potential drug targets that explain how tumors misregulate genes.
How similar studies have performed: Related sequencing-based chromatin-mapping methods exist, but this proximity-focused approach is a novel extension designed to capture pairs of factors on the same DNA fragments.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oberdoerffer, Philipp — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Oberdoerffer, Philipp
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.