Understanding and Treating Aggressive Prostate Cancer
Targeting MED31-driven transcription recycling in lethal prostate cancer
This project looks for new ways to stop aggressive prostate cancer cells from growing, aiming to find better treatments for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11092134 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Current treatments for advanced prostate cancer don't always work well enough, so we need new approaches. This project focuses on a process inside cancer cells called "transcription recycling," which helps them grow. We've found a specific protein, MED31, that plays a key role in this process in prostate cancer cells. By understanding how MED31 helps cancer cells thrive, we hope to develop new medicines that can specifically target and stop this growth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer who have not responded well to existing androgen receptor-targeting therapies are the focus of this research.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage prostate cancer or those whose cancer responds well to current treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to entirely new therapies for patients with aggressive, castration-resistant prostate cancer, offering better outcomes than current treatments.
How similar studies have performed: This approach explores a novel mechanism of cancer cell growth, with preliminary findings suggesting MED31's importance, indicating a new and largely untested therapeutic direction.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: He, Yiping — Duke University
- Study coordinator: He, Yiping
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.