CDK9 inhibition for the treatment of drug resistance in SCLC (A06+)

• Subject Area: Cell Biology ; Hematology, Oncology ; Immunology
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 413326622

In the project N. Peltzer will investigate the therapeutic efficacy of inhibiting CDK9 as a strategy to break resistance to chemotherapy and to improve efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) in SCLC. She will also decipher the mechanisms of CDK9 inhibition (CDK9i)-mediated therapeutic effects. Since the therapeutic efficacy of CDK9i in NSCLC was previously shown to be due to inhibition of negative regulators of cell death, she will define whether the efficacy of CDK9i in SCLC, and occurrence of resistance to chemotherapy, depends on the expression of cell death components. Finally, having unraveled the mechanistic insights of Dinaciclib treatment, N. Peltzer will assess the therapeutic efficacy and synergism between Dinaciclib treatment with sensitization to immunogenic cell death with or without ICI.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1399: Mechanisms of drug sensitivity and resistance in small cell lung cancer
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Project Head: Dr. Maria de las Nieves Peltzer, Ph.D.