Understanding how variant histones influence cancer-related chromatin behavior
Official title: Beyond Canonical Chromatin: Defining Variant Histone Interactions and Turnover
Funded at University of California Santa Cruz · NIH-11430026 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant will map how histone variants interact with other proteins to influence chromatin and cancer-related processes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Santa Cruz NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Cruz, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $425,033 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM166244-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11430026 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a patient-facing study; does not recruit participants.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement or recruitment in this purely mechanistic study.
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced proteomics and high-resolution structural biology to map how histone variants like H2A.Z, H3.3, and CENP-A interact with other proteins in nucleosomes. They have developed a precise nucleosome reconstitution method and powerful mass spectrometry to uncover distinct interaction networks. Over five years, the project aims to reveal how different variant combinations create signals that regulate nuclear functions and genomic integrity, with a focus on cancer and related diseases. The work is designed to connect molecular mechanisms to cellular outcomes that could inform future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these variant interactions could reveal new targets for cancer therapies and improve our grasp of how chromatin misregulation drives disease.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies show that histone variants influence chromatin and gene regulation; this project extends that work with novel proteomics and structural insights.
Where this research is happening
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University of California Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Skrajna, Aleksandra Magdalena — University of California Santa Cruz
- Study coordinator: Skrajna, Aleksandra Magdalena
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.