Overactive MAPK signaling damaging chromosome attachments in glioblastoma
MAPK-driven kinetochore stress in cancer
This work looks at whether an overactive MAPK pathway in some brain tumors makes the proteins that hold chromosomes unstable, creating weaknesses we might target to kill cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299584 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers recently found that many glioblastoma samples show a form of kinetochore stress driven by the Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK (MAPK) pathway called MaSKs. They will study how MaSKs form and are regulated in tumor-derived cells, search for MaSKs in actual patient tumor samples, and test whether MaSKs create specific weaknesses in cancer cells that drugs could exploit. The team will use molecular assays, genetic tools like CRISPR, and analyses of patient tumor tissue to link the lab findings to real tumors. Results are intended to point to new treatment strategies for tumors with MAPK pathway activation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with glioblastoma or other tumors known to have RTK/Ras/MAPK activation who can provide tumor tissue or clinical data.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not have MAPK/Ras-driven changes or who cannot provide tissue samples are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reveal new targets or strategies to selectively kill cancer cells with overactive MAPK signaling, especially in glioblastoma.
How similar studies have performed: Targeting mitotic vulnerabilities has shown promise in preclinical work, but the MaSK mechanism is a new, previously untested pathway in patient tumors.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Paddison, Patrick — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Paddison, Patrick
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.