Understanding how centromeres keep chromosomes evenly divided in cancer and aging
Official title: Maintaining the integrity of a genome
Funded at Stowers Institute for Medical Research · NIH-11380969 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A science project aims to map how centromeres and cohesin work together to keep chromosomes stable, a factor linked to cancer and aging.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stowers Institute for Medical Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $377,438 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA266339-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11380969 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is fundamental biology and does not involve a patient population directly.
✕Less likely to help
There are no immediate patient participation opportunities in this grant.
What this research studies
This project will investigate the molecular details of centromeres and the cohesin complex to explain how they ensure correct chromosome segregation. Researchers will build a molecular model of cohesin’s activity at human centromeres and test how this affects sister chromatid cohesion and genome stability. The work includes analyzing how variations in centromere structure influence chromosome transmission and stability in human cells. The study uses advanced molecular biology approaches to connect centromere biology with broader genome integrity issues.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could improve our understanding of cancer and aging related to chromosome instability and guide future therapeutic strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that cohesin and centromere dynamics are important for chromosome stability, supporting the relevance of this line of inquiry.
Where this research is happening
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Stowers Institute for Medical Research
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gerton, Jennifer L — Stowers Institute for Medical Research
- Study coordinator: Gerton, Jennifer L
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.