New roles for cell cycle proteins in breast cancer growth and treatment
Official title: Novel functions of cell cycle proteins in G1/S phase progression and in cancer
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11448753 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant explores how key cell cycle proteins control cancer cell growth and how targeting them could lead to new breast cancer treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $606,749 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA303628-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448753 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with breast cancer whose tumors may be driven by cell cycle proteins could be candidates for future trials or related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not rely on these particular cell cycle pathways may not benefit from this line of research.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how cyclin B-CDK1 and related kinase interactions control when cancer cells enter DNA replication, using mouse and human cell systems. They will compare the roles of cyclin B-CDK1 and DBF4-CDC7 in driving G1/S progression to identify possible vulnerabilities. The project includes testing how inhibiting these pathways affects tumor growth in mouse models and patient-derived tumor samples. The aim is to uncover molecular details that could inform future therapies for breast cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide the development of new drugs to slow or stop breast cancer growth by interrupting critical cell cycle steps.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that targeting cell cycle kinases can disrupt tumor growth, but the specific G1/S roles and redundancy in humans are still being clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sicinski, Peter — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Sicinski, Peter
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.