3D map of how colorectal cancer differs by age of diagnosis
A Multimodal 3D Atlas of Colorectal Cancer Across Ages of Onset
Researchers are building detailed three-dimensional maps of colorectal tumors to show how cancers that start at younger versus older ages differ for people with colorectal cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11174407 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's view, the team will reconstruct tumors in 3D by analyzing many thin tissue slices with advanced lab methods. They will combine spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, targeted protein imaging, imaging mass spectrometry, and DNA sequencing to link cells, molecules, and microbes to precise tumor locations. The project will compare early-onset and later-onset colorectal cancers to map how precancerous areas transition to invasive cancer within the same tumor. The resulting atlas will create personalized and shared trajectories that may reveal age-related differences useful for diagnosis or future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with colorectal cancer who can provide tumor tissue and clinical information, including both early-onset cases (younger patients) and later-onset cases.
Not a fit: People without colorectal cancer, or patients needing an immediate change in clinical care, are unlikely to receive direct personal benefits from this mapping project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal age-specific markers or targets that improve early detection, diagnosis, or development of better treatments for colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Related spatial and single-cell tumor studies have produced useful molecular maps, but creating a multimodal 3D atlas that compares cancers by age is a novel and ambitious extension.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- Vanderbilt University — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lau, Ken S — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Lau, Ken S
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.