Blocking brain immune cells that help cancer spread to the brain
Official title: Investigate and inhibit microglia support of brain metastases
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11174235 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to stop brain immune cells called microglia from helping metastatic cancers grow in people with brain metastases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $349,671 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA261717-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11174235 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with cancer that has spread to the brain or patients willing to donate surgical tumor samples or participate in related clinical studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without brain metastases or those not eligible for biopsy or surgical sample donation may not receive direct benefit from this research initially.
What this research studies
You may be asked to donate tumor tissue or samples so researchers can study the cells around brain metastases. Scientists will use single-cell RNA sequencing on fresh human tumor and nearby normal brain and will analyze cell-free RNA to see how microglia behave. They will build lab models that include microglia, including 3-D models and complementary animal studies, to watch interactions and test ways to block microglia support. The goal is to find targets that can be turned into treatments to slow or stop tumor growth in the brain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new therapies that slow or stop the growth of brain metastases and improve neurological outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows microglia and macrophage behavior can affect tumor growth, but directly targeting microglia in brain metastases is a relatively new and developing approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hayden Gephart, Melanie — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Hayden Gephart, Melanie
Related research
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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.