Understanding a Protein's Role in Cancer Treatment Resistance
Elucidating the role of DNAPKcs in chromosomal break end joining and clastogen resistance
This project aims to understand how a specific protein helps cancer cells resist treatments, so we can make therapies like radiation work better for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124683 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We are learning more about a protein called DNAPKcs, which helps cancer cells repair damage from treatments like radiation. By understanding how DNAPKcs works, we hope to make existing cancer therapies more powerful. This knowledge could help doctors choose the best treatments for patients and predict who will respond well to new medications that block DNAPKcs. Researchers are developing new ways to detect how this protein repairs broken chromosomes, which is key to finding better cancer treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with various types of cancer currently undergoing or considering treatments like radiotherapy may eventually benefit from this research.
Not a fit: Patients whose cancer types do not rely on the DNAPKcs pathway for resistance or are not treated with chromosome-breaking agents may not directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective cancer treatments, particularly radiotherapy, by making tumors more sensitive to damage.
How similar studies have performed: A specific DNAPKcs inhibitor is currently in clinical trials, suggesting promising initial results for this type of approach.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stark, Jeremy Michael — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Stark, Jeremy Michael
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.