Understanding how DNA polymerase O affects cancer treatment and DNA repair
Official title: Investigating DNA polymerase O in replication stress and cancer therapy
Funded at Scripps Research Institute, the · NIH-10996851 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a specific enzyme called POLQ helps fix DNA damage that can happen when cells are dividing, which is important for understanding cancer, and it hopes to find new ways to make cancer treatments work better by blocking this enzyme.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Scripps Research Institute, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $607,250 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA294646-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10996851 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with cancers characterized by replication stress or those with BRCA deficiencies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers that do not exhibit replication stress or those without DNA repair deficiencies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the role of DNA polymerase θ (POLQ) in repairing DNA damage caused by replication stress, which is often linked to cancer development. The study aims to uncover how POLQ contributes to the repair of double-strand breaks in DNA and how inhibiting this enzyme can lead to cancer cell death, especially when combined with other treatments. By exploring these mechanisms, the research seeks to identify new therapeutic strategies that could enhance the effectiveness of cancer therapies targeting replication stress.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved cancer treatments by exploiting vulnerabilities in cancer cells related to DNA repair mechanisms.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in targeting DNA repair mechanisms in cancer therapy, suggesting that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Scripps Research Institute, the
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Xiaohua — Scripps Research Institute, the
- Study coordinator: Wu, Xiaohua
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.