Centers studying how cancer spreads through the body
Official title: Center for Systems-level Study of Metastasis
Funded at Rockefeller University · NIH-11531592 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-institutional project at Rockefeller University is exploring how nerves, blood vessels, lymphatics, immune cells, and metabolites influence the spread of cancer to help identify new ways to stop metastasis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rockefeller University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 23, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $508,500 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA261701-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11531592 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cancer, particularly those at risk of metastasis, may benefit from advances arising from this research in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Direct clinical benefits may not be immediate; the project is primarily mechanistic and foundational.
What this research studies
This research brings together experts in biology, metabolism, and single-cell sequencing to map how different cell types and signals cooperate to enable metastasis. It will study neural interactions with tumors, how blood vessel cells affect nerve growth in tumors, and how lymphatic networks influence cancer spread. The team will use advanced methods to observe these interactions at both the cellular and whole-body levels to uncover actionable targets. The work aims to build a systems-level picture of metastasis that could inform future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding these interactions could lead to new strategies to prevent or slow metastatic spread and improve cancer treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that neural, immune, and vascular factors can influence metastasis, supporting the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Rockefeller University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tavazoie, Sohail F. — Rockefeller University
- Study coordinator: Tavazoie, Sohail 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.