Ribonucleotides and telomere health in cancer
Ribonucleotide Processing in Telomere Maintenance and Integrity
This project looks at whether tiny RNA pieces added into chromosome ends make telomeres break down faster in cancers that turn on telomerase.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326670 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has cancer, researchers are studying how small RNA building blocks (ribonucleotides) placed into telomeres by the enzyme telomerase affect the protective end structure of chromosomes. They will use lab-grown cells and biochemical tests to place and track these ribonucleotides at telomeres and measure breakage, shortening, and DNA repair responses. Genetic and molecular tools will help them see how unrepaired ribonucleotides could cause telomere instability and genome damage. The goal is to understand a possible mechanism that helps many cancers keep dividing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Findings would be most relevant to people with cancers that activate telomerase, including many common solid tumors and some blood cancers.
Not a fit: People whose cancers use alternative telomere-lengthening mechanisms (ALT) or who have non-cancer conditions are less likely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets to make cancer cells lose telomere protection and become easier to stop with future treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Related research has shown that ribonucleotide incorporation and telomere dysfunction affect genome stability, but the specific effects of ribonucleotides inserted by telomerase are largely untested and relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Kansas City, United States
- University of Kansas Medical Center — Kansas City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Freudenthal, Bret D — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Freudenthal, Bret D
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.