Tracing how past exposures leave mutational fingerprints in cancer DNA
Official title: Mechanisms of cancer mutations
Funded at Van Andel Research Institute · NIH-11231696 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find the environmental or chemical causes behind the unique DNA mutation patterns seen in different cancers so people with cancer can learn what may have led to their tumor.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Van Andel Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Grand Rapids, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $482,549 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276031-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11231696 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with tumors of unclear cause—such as certain skin, lung, or esophageal cancers—who can donate tumor tissue or sequencing data for analysis.
✕Less likely to help
People without cancer or those whose tumors already have well-established causes are unlikely to receive direct benefits from this research in the short term.
What this research studies
Researchers will map specific types of DNA damage across the human genome and recreate how those lesions produce mutations using lab experiments and cancer genome data. They will compare the damage and mutation patterns from known exposures like sunlight and smoking to the unexplained mutational signatures found in many tumors. The team combines DNA damage mapping, cell-based systems, and computational analysis of human tumor sequences to link particular chemicals or biological processes to mutation fingerprints. Over time this approach could connect past exposures to the mutations now seen in a patient's tumor.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help pinpoint environmental or chemical causes of individual cancers, supporting prevention efforts and informing future treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has clearly linked UV and tobacco to specific mutation patterns, but many other mutational signatures remain unexplained and this project builds on those prior successes.
Where this research is happening
-
Van Andel Research Institute
Grand Rapids, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pfeifer, Gerd P — Van Andel Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Pfeifer, Gerd P
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.