Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome: how WASp protects the genome during cell stress
Official title: Defining WASp-dependent pathways in replication stress
Funded at University of Nebraska Medical Center · NIH-11553597 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH-funded project looks at how the WASp protein helps immune cells keep their DNA safe during cell stress, which could reduce cancer risk in WAS patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $477,012 |
| NIH project number | 7R01AI177269-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11553597 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome or related immune/cancer susceptibility issues linked to WASp function could be relevant for future applications of this work.
✕Less likely to help
This project is a basic mechanistic study and may not offer immediate treatment options for individual patients.
What this research studies
Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) causes immune problems and higher cancer risk because cells struggle to manage damaged DNA during replication. The researchers will study WASp’s role in both stopping harmful RNA-DNA hybrids and guiding broken DNA to repair sites, focusing on replication stress and DNA damage response. They will use laboratory experiments in immune and nonimmune cells to map the molecules WASp works with and to understand how WASp keeps replication processes stable. The goal is to identify precise molecular steps where WASp protects the genome, which could guide future therapies for WAS-associated cancers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of WASp’s protective role could lead to targeted strategies to reduce cancer risk and improve immune function in WAS patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown WASp’s involvement in DNA damage responses; this grant builds on those findings to detail the molecular partnerships.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vyas, Yatin M — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Vyas, Yatin M
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.