Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Cancer Institute awarded a Project Grant of $630,089 to The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York (Health Sciences Division) under the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program (CFDA 93.393) for the period May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2031. The research project, "Characterization of the Functions of the DNA Translocase SMARCAL1 in Anti-Tumor Immunity," will deliver mechanistic research aimed at elucidating how the DNA damage response (DDR) protein SMARCAL1 suppresses anti-tumor immune responses through dual mechanisms involving innate immune signaling suppression and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) induction. The research will generate novel insights into the interplay between genomic instability, interferon signaling, and immune checkpoint activation in tumor cells.

The funded research will produce foundational knowledge to identify additional DDR factors that function similarly to SMARCAL1 in promoting tumor immune evasion. Deliverables will include molecular characterization of SMARCAL1-mediated mechanisms and identification of novel therapeutic targets to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies, which currently benefit only a small fraction of cancer patients due to acquired tumor resistance. This basic research supports the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program's objective to discover mechanisms for cancer prevention and preventive interventions by advancing understanding of molecular pathways that regulate anti-tumor immune responses.