NIH-funded research P01 program project

Repair mechanisms for DNA lesions in small cell lung cancer

Official title: Repair Mechanisms of Replication fork Lesions in SCLC

Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11390987 · Data updated 2026-11-12

Researchers are studying how cancer cells with small cell lung cancer respond or become resistant to treatment by looking at the ways DNA damage is repaired.

More SCLC research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNew York University School of Medicine
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project startAugust 16, 2024
Project endJuly 31, 2029
Funding year2026
Award (this year)$351,701
NIH project number5P01CA288368-03
Project IDNIH-11390987 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Patients with small cell lung cancer, including those with specific genetic backgrounds represented in the study.

Less likely to help

Patients with other cancers or those not meeting the genetic criteria may not directly benefit from these findings.

What this research studies

This project focuses on how replication-fork DNA lesions arise during therapy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and how the cells fix them or become resistant. Using advanced cellular and single-molecule techniques, the team will identify the specific fork-lesions in untreated SCLC with defined genetic backgrounds and map how repair pathways influence cell state and therapy response. They will also assess how these repair processes change when resistance to treatment emerges and how new targeted therapies affect resistant tumors. The work aims to fill critical gaps in understanding replication stress and may reveal targets to improve treatment responses in SCLC.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, patients with SCLC could benefit from therapies that better target the DNA repair pathways driving response and resistance.

How similar studies have gone: Similar research in replication stress has advanced knowledge of repair mechanisms, with earlier work suggesting actionable vulnerabilities in SCLC.

Where this research is happening

  • New York University School of Medicine
    New York, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Rothenberg, Eli — New York University School of Medicine
  • Study coordinator: Rothenberg, Eli

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.