# Evaluating candidate mediators of prostate cancer metastasis and neuro endocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) trans differentiation

> **NIH NIH R50** · ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE CORP · 2021 · $130,212

## Abstract

Prostate cancer relapsing from antiandrogen therapies can exhibit variant histology with altered
lineage marker expression, suggesting lineage plasticity facilitates therapeutic resistance.
Mechanisms underlying prostate cancer lineage plasticity are unknown. Our recent work
published in Science uses mouse models of prostate cancer to demonstrate Rb1 and Trp53
cooperate to suppress prostate cancer lineage plasticity, metastasis, and antiandrogen
resistance. The research program funded by R01 CA207757 proposes to identify molecular
mechanisms underlying Rb1 and Trp53 function in this context and assess a novel therapeutic
approach using epigenetic modulating drugs to improve responses to therapy. This R50
application proposes salary support for Meenalakshmi Chinnam, Ph.D. to support the R01
CA207757 research program. Dr. Chinnam works as a Research Associate in the laboratory of
Dr. David Goodrich, unit director on this application. Dr. Chinnam has made significant
contributions to Dr. Goodrich's research programs since 2004, and her work has been published
in well-regarded journals. Dr. Chinnam is a skilled experimentalist with a broad background in
pharmacology, molecular biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry and nutrition sciences. She
has over 13 years of experience in cancer research. Relevant to this application, Dr. Chinnam
has considerable experience using mouse models of prostate cancer and characterizing the
histopathology of both mouse and human prostate cancer specimens. Dr. Chinnam will leverage
this expertise to help generate and characterize novel mouse models proposed in R01
CA207757 to elucidate how Ezh2 or E2f1 activity influence lineage plasticity, cancer
progression, and response to antiandrogens. She will also characterize human prostate cancer
specimens for cross-species validation. Dr. Chinnam's contributions will be essential for
successful completion of the R01 CA207757 research program.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10241237
- **Project number:** 5R50CA221786-03
- **Recipient organization:** ROSWELL PARK CANCER INSTITUTE CORP
- **Principal Investigator:** Meenalakshmi Chinnam
- **Activity code:** R50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $130,212
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-14 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10241237

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10241237, Evaluating candidate mediators of prostate cancer metastasis and neuro endocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) trans differentiation (5R50CA221786-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10241237. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*