XRN1 as a potential therapy target in lung cancer
Official title: Characterizing the XRN1 exoribonuclease as a therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11457022 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist-led program will study a cellular gene called XRN1 to see if turning it off can help treat non-small cell lung cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $182,363 |
| NIH project number | 7K08CA252169-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457022 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with non-small cell lung cancer, or healthy volunteers providing samples for related analyses, could benefit if the approach advances to human studies.
✕Less likely to help
This grant does not directly test a therapy in people today, so patients may not experience immediate benefits.
What this research studies
This project explores whether removing the XRN1 gene can kill cancer cells and work together with PD-1 immunotherapy to improve tumor control in lung cancer. Researchers will study the signaling pathways that cause cancer cells to die after XRN1 is deleted in human NSCLC cell lines. They will also test XRN1 deletion in mouse models that receive anti-PD-1 therapy and examine how XRN1 gene expression relates to treatment response. The work combines molecular biology with preclinical animal studies to identify a novel therapeutic target that could broaden options for NSCLC patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new treatments for NSCLC by targeting XRN1, potentially improving responses to immunotherapy.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical data show that XRN1 deletion can kill some NSCLC cells and boost anti-PD-1 effects in mice, suggesting potential but not yet proven in humans.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zou, Tao — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zou, Tao
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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.