Targeting cancer cells' DNA repair systems to improve treatment
Exploring DNA damage response pathways as targets for cancer therapy
Researchers are testing ways to exploit cancer cells' DNA repair machinery to help make treatments work better for people with cancers, including those with BRCA mutations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11160478 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks inside cancer cells to find which DNA damage response (DDR) genes are essential for tumor growth and which make tumors vulnerable to therapy. The team will use lab-grown cancer cells and animal models and run CRISPR-based screens in living tumors to pinpoint key DDR targets and create precise mutations that separate different gene functions. By studying how DDR defects change tumor behavior and the tumor microenvironment in vivo, the researchers aim to reveal new ways to combine or improve drugs such as PARP inhibitors. The findings are meant to guide future treatments and help identify which patients are most likely to benefit.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers that carry BRCA1/2 mutations or other DNA repair deficiencies would be the most likely candidates to benefit or to be considered for follow-up clinical opportunities.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not have DNA repair defects or whose care does not involve targeting DDR pathways are less likely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective, targeted treatments for cancers with DNA repair defects, such as BRCA-mutant tumors.
How similar studies have performed: Related approaches have already produced approved therapies—like PARP inhibitors for BRCA-mutant cancers and immunotherapy for mismatch repair–deficient tumors—while CRISPR-based in vivo targeting is a newer and less-tested avenue.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Junjie — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Chen, Junjie
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.