Role of GTP supply and localization in melanoma invasion and brain metastasis
Official title: The role of regulation and subcellular localization of GTP biosynthesis in melanoma invasion and metastasis
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11383114 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how the cell’s energy and building blocks for RNA and DNA help melanoma cells invade and spread to the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | August 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $490,104 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA279129-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383114 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable for this grant, as it is a basic-science project; patients would be involved only through future translational studies or clinical trials if applicable.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefit at this stage; findings are preclinical.
What this research studies
Metastatic melanoma is highly aggressive and often spreads to the brain, where treatment options are limited. The study focuses on how fluctuations in intracellular GTP and the location of GTP production influence the activity of RAC1 and other RHO-GTPases that drive melanoma cell invasion. By integrating prior findings on GTP dynamics and RAC1 interactions with enzymes like IMPDH, the research aims to connect metabolic changes to the signaling programs that enable metastasis. The work is conducted using Duke University as the study site, led by Dr. Mikhail Nikiforov, and builds on our understanding of how metabolic regulation supports cancer progression.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: May reveal metabolic targets to limit melanoma invasion and brain metastasis, potentially guiding new therapies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests RAC1 and GTP dynamics influence melanoma behavior, indicating a promising but still evolving approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nikiforov, Mikhail — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Nikiforov, Mikhail
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Differing NAD+ kinase roles in melanoma spread
Researchers are studying how different NAD+ kinase forms affect the spread of melanoma, with the goal of finding new angles to prevent metastasis.
-
Understanding how palmitoylation affects Cadherin-Catenin cell adhesion and lung melanoma spread
This NIH grant studies how a chemical modification called palmitoylation influences how melanoma cells stick together and spread to the lungs, with potential to improve future treatments.
-
Melanoma spread and therapy resistance in aging: decoding stress signals and gut microbes
This project aims to understand how aging changes melanoma's response to treatment by studying key stress signals inside tumors and the gut bacteria that shape anti-tumor immunity.
-
Preventing Melanoma Spread by Targeting Lipid Weaknesses in Lymph
Aims to block early melanoma metastasis by disrupting how cancer cells use fats in the lymphatic system.
-
GAPDHS and melanoma metabolism: a new biomarker and target
A researcher is studying how a brain/germ cell enzyme GAPDHS affects melanoma cancer metabolism and the cancer’s ability to spread, with the aim of finding biomarkers and new ways to predict or limit metastasis.
-
Epigenetic regulators shaping melanoma cell diversity and spread
A study at NYU School of Medicine looks at how changes in gene regulation inside melanoma cells might drive varied cell states and help cancer spread.
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.