Understanding what keeps prostate cancer cells dormant
Official title: Deciphering Prostate Cancer Cell Dormancy Drivers
Funded at Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge · NIH-11196178 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how prostate cancer cells can stay inactive in the bones for a long time and what role a protein called NR2F1 plays in this process, with the hope that understanding this could help develop new treatments to keep these cells from becoming active again.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baton Rouge, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $168,152 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM135000-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11196178 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with prostate cancer, particularly those with a history of bone metastasis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-prostate cancers or those whose cancer has already progressed significantly may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the mechanisms that allow prostate cancer cells to remain dormant in the bone environment, which can lead to delayed metastasis. It focuses on a specific protein, NR2F1, that plays a crucial role in maintaining this dormancy. By using various epigenetic modulators, the study aims to enhance the understanding of how manipulating NR2F1 levels could potentially prevent the reactivation of these dormant cells. Patients may benefit from insights that could lead to new therapeutic strategies targeting dormant cancer cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that prevent the spread of prostate cancer by keeping cancer cells dormant.
How similar studies have gone: While the approach of targeting cellular dormancy is being explored in other cancers, the specific focus on NR2F1 in prostate cancer is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Su, Shang — Louisiana State Univ A&m Col Baton Rouge
- Study coordinator: Su, Shang
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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.