Bone marrow signals that keep cancer cells asleep or wake them up and spread cancer
Official title: Bone marrow niche regulation of disseminated tumor cell dormancy, reactivation, and metastasis.
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11403903 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher plans to study how breast cancer cells hide in the bone marrow and what makes them wake up and form new tumors, with the goal of stopping relapse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | February 10, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R00CA267261-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11403903 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with ER-positive breast cancer may be eligible for future related studies or trials involving dormancy and metastasis.
✕Less likely to help
Participants without breast cancer or without bone marrow involvement may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will use a mouse model and patient bone marrow samples to map how cancer cells interact with their bone marrow environment. It will combine 3D imaging and biomaterials to visualize dormancy and identify cues that keep cells dormant or trigger reactivation. In the R00 phase, the work aims to create a biomaterial model of dormancy to test how niche signals influence cancer cell behavior. The study could point to new strategies to prevent metastatic relapse in patients with ER-positive breast cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to therapies that prevent dormant cancer cells from reactivating and causing relapse.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that the bone marrow niche influences cancer cell fate, but this project seeks to translate that understanding into dormancy control strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bushnell, Grace Gilmore — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Bushnell, Grace Gilmore
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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.