Why some people's hearts are harmed by the cancer drug ibrutinib using patient stem cells
Elucidating Genetic Susceptibility of Covalent Kinase Inhibitors with iPSC "Cell Village"
Researchers will use patient-derived stem cells to find genetic reasons why some people treated with the cancer drug ibrutinib get heart damage, aiming to help patients who take that drug.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174554 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will recruit people who took ibrutinib who did and did not develop heart toxicity and make induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from their samples. They will pool many patient iPSC lines into "cell village" mixtures and turn them into heart cells to test how ibrutinib changes gene activity and the epigenome at single-cell resolution. By comparing cellular responses across many people and linking them to genetic differences using eQTL analysis, they aim to find variants that raise the risk of drug-related heart damage. Promising genetic signals will then be screened for ways to reduce or prevent the heart effects of the drug.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have taken or are taking ibrutinib—especially those who experienced heart problems and those who did not—who are willing to provide a blood or tissue sample and medical records.
Not a fit: People who have never taken ibrutinib or whose heart conditions are unrelated to cancer drugs are unlikely to get direct benefit, and this work does not offer immediate treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to tests that predict who is at higher risk for ibrutinib-related heart damage and to strategies that prevent or lessen that damage.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies using patient-derived iPSC heart cells have linked genetics to drug heart effects, but the multiplexed "cell village" approach with single-cell multiomics is relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Stanford, United States
- Stanford University — Stanford, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Joseph C. — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Wu, Joseph C.
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 below.