Understanding Protein Handling in Prostate Cancer That Resists Treatment

Dissecting the Role of Proteostasis in Anti-Androgen Resistant Prostate Cancer

NIH-funded research University of California at Davis · NIH-11125825

This project aims to understand why prostate cancer sometimes stops responding to common anti-androgen medications, which could help us find new ways to treat it.

Quick facts

Grant typeR37 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California at Davis NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Davis, United States)
Project IDNIH-11125825 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Prostate cancer is a serious disease, and while initial treatments are often effective, some patients develop a form that resists current anti-androgen drugs like enzalutamide and abiraterone. When this happens, the cancer becomes much harder to treat because we don't fully understand why it becomes resistant. This project looks at how cells handle their proteins, a process called proteostasis, which seems to go wrong in resistant prostate cancer cells. By figuring out how these protein handling systems are altered, we hope to uncover new targets for future therapies.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This foundational research focuses on understanding disease mechanisms, so it does not directly involve patient recruitment for a clinical trial at this stage.

Not a fit: Patients whose prostate cancer responds well to current anti-androgen therapies may not directly benefit from this specific research focus on resistance mechanisms.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments for prostate cancer that has become resistant to current anti-androgen medications.

How similar studies have performed: While the specific role of proteostasis modulation in anti-androgen resistant prostate cancer is still being understood, the general concept of targeting protein degradation pathways has shown promise in other cancer types.

Where this research is happening

Davis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.