This $640,969 Project Grant was awarded by the National Cancer Institute (CFDA 93.396 Cancer Biology Research) to The Ohio State University to conduct research on the molecular mechanisms of allele-specific NRAS signaling and tumorigenesis. The research aims to:
Determine the structural and biochemical differences between various NRAS oncoproteins and how these impact BRAF activation and MAPK signaling, which may contribute to disparities in cancer development and therapeutic response.
Examine how specific NRAS mutations induce spontaneous melanoma in mouse models and identify structural features that enhance BRAF affinity, activation, and MAPK signaling.
Test a pharmacological approach to prevent melanoma by eliminating NRAS-mutant cancer precursors with elevated MAPK/ERK signaling.
The Ohio State University is collaborating with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which will perform the structural and biochemical experiments, while OSU focuses on the in vitro and in vivo studies. The award period is from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2029.