CNTNAP2: How a nerve protein may help ovarian cancer spread in the abdomen
Official title: An Autism-associated Protein CNTNAP2 Promotes Peritoneal Adhesion of Ovarian Cancer Cells
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11437637 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH grant is studying whether a protein involved in nerves, CNTNAP2, helps ovarian cancer cells stick and spread in the abdomen.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $76,601 |
| NIH project number | 1R03CA317617-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11437637 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable here; this grant is a basic science study using cell and tissue models.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is not guaranteed; the study is preclinical.
What this research studies
This project looks at how cancer cells that have moved from the ovary interact with nerve fibers in the peritoneal cavity and how that contact might promote new tumor sites. The researchers will examine molecular signals that enable cancer cells to adhere to nerves and other lining cells, aiming to uncover targets to prevent spread. The work uses laboratory experiments to understand the biology behind peritoneal adhesion and metastatic seeding. If successful, the findings could point to new ways to limit metastasis and improve outcomes for people with advanced ovarian cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding this adhesion mechanism could lead to new approaches to prevent or slow metastatic spread in ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown nerve-tumor interactions can influence metastasis, but the CNTNAP2 nerve-adhesion link in ovarian cancer is exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Barbolina, Maria V. — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Barbolina, Maria V.
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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.