Better urine and tissue tests to find aggressive prostate cancer
Official title: Virginia-UCLA-Toronto Biomarker Characterization Center
Funded at Old Dominion University · NIH-11191483 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will develop urine- and tissue-based tests and decision tools to help men with early prostate cancer, including those with BRCA2 gene changes, know who has aggressive disease and who can safely wait.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Old Dominion University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Norfolk, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $843,355 |
| NIH project number | 5U2CCA271894-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11191483 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer who can provide urine or tissue samples, including men known to carry BRCA2 mutations.
✕Less likely to help
People without prostate cancer or those who already have advanced or metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit directly from these early detection and risk‑stratification tests.
What this research studies
Researchers will look at proteins and genes in urine and tumor tissue (a proteogenomic approach) to find markers that signal aggressive prostate cancer. They will validate existing urine markers in large patient groups and compare results with biopsies and MRI findings. The team will create tests for high-grade cancers that MRI can miss and special markers to refine risk for men with harmful BRCA2 variants. Finally, they will build lab assays and computer-based decision rules and test them across participating centers to make sure the results are reliable.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these tests could help men avoid unnecessary treatment and catch hidden aggressive tumors earlier so appropriate therapy can be given.
How similar studies have gone: Some urine- and tissue-based biomarker panels have shown promise for prostate risk classification, but combining proteogenomic approaches and BRCA2-focused markers across multiple centers is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Semmes, Oliver John — Old Dominion University
- Study coordinator: Semmes, Oliver John
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.