Understanding how a new gene therapy could steer cancer evolution and help fight tumors
Official title: Defining the evolutionary pharmacology of a selection gene drive therapy
Funded at Pennsylvania State University, the · NIH-11433712 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project is exploring a novel gene therapy that aims to steer cancer cells to become vulnerable and then be eliminated.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $673,096 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA317433-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11433712 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancers characterized by drug resistance and tumor heterogeneity may be suitable for future translation if safety and efficacy are established.
✕Less likely to help
Early-stage research may not benefit patients until later stages or may include risks associated with gene therapy.
What this research studies
This project looks at turning the way cancer cells evolve against themselves by using a controllable gene therapy. It describes a two-switch system that first protects gene-edited cells and then triggers tumor cell death after those cells dominate the cancer. The team plans to test delivery of the therapy and how it affects cancer versus normal cells, with a focus on metastatic disease. If successful, the approach could open a new way to outpace drug resistance in cancer treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this strategy could provide a new method to overcome drug resistance and more effectively eradicate cancer cells.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest selective delivery and a novel way to reprogram tumor evolution, but this approach is still early and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State University, the
University Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pritchard, Justin — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Pritchard, Justin
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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.