Structural understanding of how DNA repair works in cancer
Official title: Structural Cell Biology of DNA Repair Machine
Funded at University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab · NIH-11423276 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, multi-institution effort to map the detailed shapes and interactions of DNA repair machines to understand how they influence cancer and respond to therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | September 27, 2001 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $3,620,769 |
| NIH project number | 2P01CA092584-26 |
| Project ID | NIH-11423276 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with advanced cancer who may benefit from therapies targeting DNA damage response mechanisms.
✕Less likely to help
People without cancers that rely on DDR pathways or those not eligible for DDR-targeted approaches.
What this research studies
This project brings together many leading cancer centers to map how DNA repair proteins assemble and function during replication stress. Researchers will study the structures and interactions that detect and repair DNA damage, aiming to reveal why some cancers respond to targeted DDR therapies and how resistance emerges. The work will use advanced imaging, biochemistry, and systems-level analyses to connect molecular details with cancer biology. Findings could point to new ways to harness DDR mechanisms for more effective treatments. The effort is driven by a central question: how do dynamic DNA repair complexes shape cancer outcomes and therapy resistance?
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could inform the development of more precise cancer therapies that target DNA repair pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Past work has shown that understanding DDR structures can reveal vulnerabilities, but comprehensive, cross-pathway structural mapping is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tainer, John a. — University of Calif-Lawrenc Berkeley Lab
- Study coordinator: Tainer, John a.
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.