# Exploring Precision Oncology: From Gene Fusions to lncRNAs

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $928,651

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract
The potential of precision medicine to benefit the lives of cancer patients continues to emerge. The mission of
the Chinnaiyan lab is to advance the field of precision oncology, and we aim to achieve this through the discovery
and development of molecular targets that will aid in diagnosis, prognosis, or therapeutic intervention of cancers.
Over the past several years, we have made a number of significant advancements in these areas. One of these
landmark studies found that TMPRSS2-ETS gene fusions exist in the majority of prostate cancers. This discovery
led to our development of a non-invasive clinical test (Mi-Prostate Score, MiPS) that combines analysis of urine
levels of TMPRSS2-ERG and the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) PCA3 with serum levels of PSA to detect
prostate cancers. Due to its subsequently established roles in prostate cancer pathogenesis, we also reported
on the development of peptidomimetic inhibitors (ERG inhibitory peptides, EIPs) of the ERG gene fusion product.
A monumental achievement in the field of precision oncology has also been establishment of our comprehensive
sequencing program for advanced cancer patients, called Mi-Oncoseq. Mi-Oncoseq has become a model for
integrative clinical sequencing and generated several pivotal findings, including our recent report on the
integrative sequencing analysis of metastatic cancers. Data from our sequencing program were also included in
our report of the lncRNA landscape of the human transcriptome. Studies of individual lncRNAs have additionally
emerged in our lab, such as validation of SChLAP1 as a marker for aggressive prostate cancer.
This brief description of selected achievements highlights our commitment to advancing precision oncology and
our vast foundational experience in this arena. Through the NCI Outstanding Investigator Award, we propose to
continue these lines of research to further explore the diagnostic potential of precision oncology, therapeutic
targeting of identified markers, and roles of nominated targets in cancer development. The future research
program centered on diagnostic potential will include such initiatives as creation of new bioinformatic resources
(e.g. “Mi-PANDA”, a compendia of transcriptomic data), high throughput single cell sequencing analysis of
patient samples, and creation of cancer-specific lncRNA panels for use with non-invasive clinical isolates.
Therapeutic targeting will be explored through the use of antisense oligos to lncRNAs and studies on the efficacy
of peptidomimetics for gene fusions and “undruggable” targets. These avenues of research will provide impetus
for studying the roles of selected noteworthy targets in cancer development. In particular, we have already
discovered two lncRNAs, ARlnc1 and THOR1, which appear to be involved in cancer progression. Overall, this
ambitious research program will advance the field of precision oncology by providing new community resources,
identifying novel biomarkers...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10000857
- **Project number:** 5R35CA231996-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** ARUL M CHINNAIYAN
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $928,651
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2025-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10000857

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10000857, Exploring Precision Oncology: From Gene Fusions to lncRNAs (5R35CA231996-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10000857. Licensed CC0.

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