A tumor time machine to trace how cancers evolve
Official title: A phylodynamic time machine for solid tumors
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11238577 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds computer methods that read single-cell DNA from solid tumors to reconstruct their past changes and spot the cell groups most likely to drive future spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $927,074 |
| NIH project number | 4DP2CA280623-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11238577 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with solid tumors who can provide tumor tissue for single-cell DNA sequencing or whose samples are sent to participating labs would be the best candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Those without solid tumors, those unable to give tumor samples, or patients needing immediate therapy may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
You would be helping researchers build computational tools that combine evolutionary trees and population models to read a tumor's history. They will adapt methods used for tracking viral spread and apply them to single-cell DNA sequencing from solid tumors. The team will run these tools across many tumor datasets to identify which cellular lineages are most likely to lead to worse outcomes. The work is focused on analyzing tumor sequencing data and developing diagnostic predictions rather than testing a new treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors identify the parts of a tumor most likely to cause metastasis and guide more targeted treatment decisions.
How similar studies have gone: Phylogenetic and phylodynamic methods have succeeded for viruses and some cancer analyses, but applying phylodynamics to single-cell tumor DNA for clinical prediction is largely new and still unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feder, Alison F — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Feder, Alison F
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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.