Understanding how cancer genes start making proteins
Official title: Mechanism of stringent translation initiation: a probe for its biological relevance
Funded at Kansas State University · NIH-11124149 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how cancer cells start making proteins, which could help us find new ways to stop cancer growth.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kansas State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Manhattan, United States) |
| Project start | August 17, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $296,981 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM147542-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124149 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation at this stage, but future clinical applications would target patients with various types of cancer.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Cancer cells sometimes use unusual ways to start making proteins, which can help them grow and spread. This project aims to identify these unusual starting points in cancer models and understand how they are controlled. We will also explore how specific genetic changes found in many cancers might affect this process. By uncovering these mechanisms, we hope to find new targets for future cancer treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to target and stop cancer growth by interfering with how cancer cells produce their proteins.
How similar studies have gone: While the general process of protein initiation is well-studied, understanding the specific mechanisms of non-canonical initiation in cancer and its regulation is a novel area of focus for this project.
Where this research is happening
-
Kansas State University
Manhattan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Asano, Katsura — Kansas State University
- Study coordinator: Asano, Katsura
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Pain relief research for food animals (models to test analgesics)
Researchers are developing reliable ways to test pain relief drugs for pigs, calves, and goats to help farmers keep animals comfortable.
-
Noninvasive brain stimulation to reduce hyperexcitability in a Fragile X rat model
A small animal study tests whether low-frequency rTMS can calm overactive brain activity and improve thinking-style tasks in a rat model of Fragile X and autism.
-
Automated nucleic acid quality checks for veterinary diagnostics
A Kansas State University lab is buying and using an automated TapeStation to quickly and reliably check the quality of RNA and DNA before dog, horse, and cattle tests.
-
Integrated microbiome and resistome framework to prevent surgical site infections in veterinary orthopedic surgery
A veterinary research project will study how preoperative microbes and resistance genes in animals relate to post-surgical infections and antibiotic failures.
-
Automated sample prep for faster plasma and feed analysis in targeted LC-MS/MS
This grant aims to speed up lab workflows by using automated liquid handling to prepare plasma and feed samples for targeted LC-MS/MS testing, helping labs process more tests with less variability.
-
Whole genome sequencing of E. coli and Salmonella from animals to improve health insights
Researchers will sequence 200 bacterial isolates from companion and food animals to better understand strains linked to human and animal health.
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.