OMRF Receives Grant to Study DNA Processes Critical to Cancer and Other Diseases

Strategic Insights -

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF) has received a significant grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study two fundamental DNA processes: transcription and replication. These processes are crucial for cells to grow and function properly, but errors in them can lead to genetic diseases, cancers, and birth defects. The principal investigator on the grant, Rafal Donczew, Ph.D., will investigate the role of a particular group of proteins, known as BET, in controlling these processes and preventing collisions between transcription and replication.

Key Takeaways:

  • The NIH has awarded OMRF a five-year grant worth $2.3 million (No. R35GM160259) to study the DNA processes critical to cancer and other diseases.
  • The grant aims to understand how the BET proteins control both transcription and replication and help prevent collisions between the two processes.
  • Transcription is the process of creating an RNA molecule from a DNA template, while replication is the process of creating an identical copy of DNA.
  • Donczew suspects that BET proteins act like traffic signals by orchestrating the flow of genetic information, ensuring that cells can grow and function properly.
  • The study will focus on understanding the role of BET proteins in cancers of the blood, breasts, ovaries, and pancreas.
  • Donczew hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the basic science behind BET proteins, which could lead to more effective cancer therapies.

Statistics:

  • The grant will run for five years, from 2025 to 2030.
  • The $2.3 million grant is a significant investment in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of DNA processes.
  • BET proteins have been shown to play a role in cancers of the blood, breasts, ovaries, and pancreas.
  • Donczew has been studying the BET proteins at OMRF since 2022, which he joined from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.

Sources:

  • "OMRF receives grant to study DNA processes crucial to cancer, other diseases." (Aug. 25, 2025)

* Original text: https://omrf.org/2025/08/25/omrf-receives-grant-to-study-dna-processes-crucial-to-cancer-other-diseases/