MYCN and ferroptosis: a new vulnerability in pediatric neuroblastoma
Official title: MYCN drives a ferroptotic vulnerability in neuroblastoma
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11400285 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in children with neuroblastoma looks at a new vulnerability called ferroptosis that could be exploited to more effectively treat tumors with the MYCN gene amplification.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $654,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276207-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400285 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pediatric patients with MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma or related preclinical models may benefit from advances arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma or non-neuroblastoma cancers may not benefit from these specific findings.
What this research studies
This project focuses on how MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma cells manage iron and antioxidant defenses to avoid cell death. Researchers will explore how changing cysteine and selenocysteine pathways affects the cells’ ability to endure reactive oxygen species. The goal is to identify drugs or combinations that trigger ferroptotic cell death specifically in these cancer cells. The research uses laboratory models to understand the biology and to point toward new therapeutic strategies for a difficult pediatric cancer. If successful, these findings could guide future clinical trials in children with high-risk neuroblastoma.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new treatments that make neuroblastoma with MYCN amplification more responsive to therapy by triggering ferroptosis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown ferroptosis as a therapeutic vulnerability in certain cancers, with growing interest in applying it to pediatric tumors like neuroblastoma.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Faber, Anthony Charles — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Faber, Anthony Charles
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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.