Protecting DNA in BRCA-related and advanced cancers
Official title: Molecular modulator of RAD51 in maintaining genome stability
Funded at Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci · NIH-11249994 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how cells protect DNA during replication to help people with BRCA-related or advanced cancers who may develop resistance to treatments like PARP inhibitors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2019 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $374,585 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA234266-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249994 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with BRCA1/2-associated cancers or advanced cancers that have become resistant to PARP inhibitors would be the most directly relevant group.
✕Less likely to help
People whose cancers are unrelated to BRCA pathways or who have early-stage disease unlikely to face PARP resistance may not see direct benefit.
What this research studies
Scientists will use high-resolution imaging (cryo-EM) to capture how the repair protein RAD51 and the CST complex bind to DNA at stalled replication forks, and they will run laboratory experiments to test how these interactions preserve genome stability. The team will also study how calcium-sensing signaling might control these protective processes. By comparing alternative pathways that act when BRCA2 is missing, they aim to explain why some tumors become resistant to PARP inhibitors. The work combines structural biology and cellular experiments to point toward possible new targets or markers for therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets or biomarkers to overcome PARP inhibitor resistance and improve treatment for BRCA-related cancers.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies established BRCA2 and RAD51 protect stalled DNA replication forks, but the specific RAD51/CST interaction and calcium-sensing regulation proposed here are relatively new and less proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
North Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chai, Weihang — Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
- Study coordinator: Chai, Weihang
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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.