Measuring two DNA chemical marks, 5hmC and 5mC
Labeling and sequencing of 5hmC and 5mC in DNA-Renewal
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · NIH-11139594
This project is building a way to detect and measure two DNA chemical tags from very small samples like blood to help find disease signals.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11139594 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers are creating new lab methods to label and read two DNA marks (5mC and 5hmC) that help control gene activity. The methods are designed to work with tiny amounts of DNA and to avoid the damage caused by current sequencing techniques. That means they hope to reliably measure methylation signals in circulating cell-free DNA from a blood sample. If it works, it could make methylation-based tests more practical for diagnosis or monitoring of disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people willing to donate small blood samples, particularly those with conditions where DNA methylation is informative (for example certain cancers or other diseases linked to methylation changes).
Not a fit: People whose conditions are unrelated to DNA methylation or who cannot provide blood samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could enable more sensitive and less harmful blood-based tests that detect or track disease by reading DNA methylation patterns.
How similar studies have performed: Related techniques like bisulfite sequencing and antibody-based enrichment exist and are useful but have limitations, so this combined, low-input approach is a novel improvement on existing methods.
Where this research is happening
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO — CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: HE, CHUAN — UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- Study coordinator: HE, CHUAN
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.