Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) awarded The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center a $621,632 project grant effective June 17, 2026, through May 31, 2031, under the Cancer Treatment Research program (CFDA 93.395). This award funds research to elucidate the molecular and metabolic mechanisms underlying disulfidptosis, a previously unexplored form of regulated cell death induced by disulfide stress in SLC7A11-high cancer cells. The research deliverables include comprehensive mechanistic studies utilizing human cancer cell lines, integrated molecular analyses (metabolomics, proteomics, and CRISPR screening), biochemical characterization, and preclinical validation of therapeutic approaches to induce disulfidptosis as a cancer treatment strategy.

The project integrates both in vitro and in vivo research methodologies to ensure translational rigor. Key deliverables encompass identification of the signaling and metabolic pathways governing disulfidptosis, development and validation of therapeutic interventions targeting this cell death mechanism in SLC7A11-high cancers, and assessment of tumor growth response, drug exposure, tolerability, and microenvironmental interactions in organismal contexts. This research advances the NCI's cancer treatment portfolio by exploring a novel cell death pathway with potential therapeutic applications for a defined cancer patient population.