Reducing chemotherapy damage by targeting ACER2
ACER2 in Chemotoxicity
Researchers are developing ways to block a molecule called ACER2 to help protect bone marrow during chemotherapy for cancer patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11198315 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work focuses on a molecule called ACER2 that appears to make chemotherapy more damaging to blood-forming cells. Scientists are studying how ACER2 affects human bone marrow stem/progenitor cells in the lab and how removing or blocking ACER2 changes outcomes in mice. The team plans to test drug or genetic approaches that lower ACER2 activity to see if that prevents low blood counts after chemotherapy. If successful, these tactics could be moved toward treatments that protect patients while they receive cancer drugs like doxorubicin.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people with cancer receiving DNA-damaging chemotherapy such as doxorubicin or patients willing to donate blood or bone marrow samples for research.
Not a fit: Patients not receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy or whose low blood counts are caused by unrelated conditions would not be expected to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new ways to prevent or reduce chemotherapy-induced low blood counts and their complications.
How similar studies have performed: Existing supportive treatments like growth factors partially address low blood counts, but targeting ACER2 is a novel approach that has shown protective effects in lab cells and mice but has not yet been tested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Stony Brook, United States
- State University New York Stony Brook — Stony Brook, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mao, Cungui — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Mao, Cungui
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.