Targeting epigenetic changes to overcome resistance in advanced prostate cancer
Official title: "DNMT and TET1 reprogramming as a targetable mechanism of resistance in advanced prostate cancer"
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11333850 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aimed at a form of prostate cancer that has stopped responding to common hormone therapies, this grant explores how epigenetic changes drive treatment resistance and how we might target them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $645,518 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA274963-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333850 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include men with advanced prostate cancer demonstrating resistance to AR-targeted therapies or neuroendocrine features, and whose tumor biology could be modeled or sampled for study.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage disease or those whose tumors do not undergo epigenetic reprogramming may not benefit.
What this research studies
Prostate cancer often relies on androgens, and therapies that block this signal can fail when the cancer becomes AR-negative and more aggressive. The project uses laboratory models and patient-derived organoids to study how epigenetic changes reprogram cancer cells into a neuroendocrine state and how this process could be halted. By understanding the role of DNMT, TET1, and related pathways, researchers hope to identify new treatment strategies for patients with advanced, resistant disease. The work integrates in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo approaches to translate findings toward improved therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new therapies that prevent or reverse treatment resistance in advanced prostate cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical data from multiple models and patient-derived organoids suggest that targeting epigenetic programs can affect lineage plasticity and treatment response, informing this study's approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rickman, David S. — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Rickman, David S.
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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.