Targeting Jumonji KDM4A to Fight Small Cell Lung Cancer
Official title: Targeting Jumonji KDM4A during the development of small cell lung cancer in GEMMs
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11354463 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A tiny 2-year research grant tests whether blocking a specific epigenetic enzyme can slow or stop small cell lung cancer in mouse models and guide future therapies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | August 6, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $426,828 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA313738-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11354463 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with small cell lung cancer or those at risk of developing SCLC in preclinical models, particularly subtypes ASCL1-high or NeuroD1-high, in future translational settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without SCLC or those outside the targeted subtypes may not benefit from this preclinical-focused grant.
What this research studies
This project will use genetically engineered mouse models of small cell lung cancer to test Jumonji demethylase inhibitors, including drugs already showing activity in other cancers, as first-line and second-line treatments. Researchers will examine how these inhibitors affect tumor growth, progression, and resistance to standard chemotherapy, and will study the changes in gene activity caused by the drugs in living animals. The team will also compare effects across SCLC subtypes that express different driver proteins to understand where the therapy might work best. By analyzing transcriptional changes and treatment timing, the study aims to identify when Jumonji enzymes become activated during disease progression and how their inhibition alters the cancer's biology. The grant will support preclinical data generation, in vivo experiments, and translational readouts to inform future clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with small cell lung cancer could benefit from new epigenetic therapies that may overcome resistance and improve responses to existing treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies in similar epigenetic targets have shown tumor response in models, supporting the viability of this approach, though direct human data for these specific inhibitors in SCLC is still evolving.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Martinez, Elisabeth D — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Martinez, Elisabeth D
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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.