Structural biology of DNA deaminases in cancer
Official title: PROJECT 1 – STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY OF DNA DEAMINASES IN CANCER
Funded at University of Texas Hlth Science Center · NIH-11418427 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant aims to understand how specific enzymes called APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B drive cancer by mutating DNA, with the goal of finding ways to block these mutations to slow tumor evolution.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Hlth Science Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Antonio, United States) |
| Project start | August 9, 2019 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $317,012 |
| NIH project number | 5P01CA234228-07 |
| Project ID | NIH-11418427 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers driven by APOBEC3 mutations or tumors where A3-mediated mutagenesis is a major factor may benefit from future therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
This basic science project does not involve patient participation or immediate treatment changes, and individual patients are not enrolled in this grant.
What this research studies
Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center will map the structures of APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B and study how small molecules, nucleic acids, and other big molecules can block their mutagenic activity. By using structural biology techniques, they hope to reveal how inhibitors bind and disrupt the enzymes, which could slow cancer progression and resistance to therapy. The work focuses on translating these mechanistic insights into strategies to inhibit A3-mediated DNA editing in tumors. This project is part of a larger program to understand and potentially halt mutation-driven cancer evolution. The research relies on biochemical, biophysical, and molecular approaches to link structure with function in human cancer-related enzymes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new therapies that slow cancer evolution and resistance by blocking APOBEC3 mutagenesis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown that understanding enzyme structure can guide inhibitor design, with some progress in related mutagenic enzymes, but directly targeting APOBEC3A/B remains a developing area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Texas Hlth Science Center
San Antonio, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Aihara, Hideki — University of Texas Hlth Science Center
- Study coordinator: Aihara, Hideki
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.