Targeting HIF protein partners that help tumors grow

Full Project 1: Structural, chemical, and cellular probing of a new anticancer target: HIF-coactivator complexes

NIH-funded research Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-11194508

This research tries blocking HIF and its partner proteins to slow tumors such as certain kidney cancers.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionSloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11194508 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Researchers will use high-resolution structural methods (like cryo-EM), biochemical assays, and cell-based tests to map how ARNT/HIF proteins bind their coactivators. They will screen and optimize small molecules that can disrupt those protein-protein interactions. Promising compounds will be characterized for how they change cellular behavior relevant to tumor growth. The work combines expertise from multiple labs and builds on preliminary structural and inhibitor data.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with tumors known to be driven by HIF overexpression—for example some kidney cancers—would be most relevant for future trials or sample donations.

Not a fit: Patients whose cancers are not driven by HIF pathways or people without cancer are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new drugs that slow or stop cancers driven by HIF activity.

How similar studies have performed: Early lab studies and structural data have shown promising leads and moderate-potency inhibitors, but clinical benefit in patients has not yet been demonstrated.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.