Clearing old damaged cells to help exercise rebuild muscle lost from cancer treatment
Utilizing senolytics to enhance the response to exercise in cachectic mice
This project looks at whether medicines that remove old, damaged cells can help exercise better protect and rebuild muscle in people who lose muscle from cancer and chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Waco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11168859 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are using mice that mimic cancer-related muscle loss after chemotherapy to test whether removing senescent (old, damaged) cells improves recovery. They give a chemotherapy agent similar to cisplatin, treat some animals with senolytic drugs that kill senescent cells, and have groups follow an exercise program. The team measures muscle size, strength, and cellular signs of aging to compare the benefits of exercise with and without senolytics. The work aims to guide future treatments to help patients keep or regain muscle during and after cancer therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer who are losing muscle (cachexia) or who are receiving muscle-damaging chemotherapy such as cisplatin would be the most relevant candidates for future trials.
Not a fit: People without cancer-related muscle loss, or whose muscle problems are caused by non-cancer conditions, may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to treatments that help people keep or regain muscle, strength, and function during and after cancer treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Early animal studies and some pilot human work suggest senolytics can reduce harmful aging cells and exercise improves muscle, but combining them to treat cancer-related muscle loss is a newer approach with limited human data.
Where this research is happening
Waco, United States
- Baylor University — Waco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dungan, Cory — Baylor University
- Study coordinator: Dungan, Cory
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 below.