Combining targeted drugs and immunotherapy to fight breast cancer and brain metastases
Official title: Integrating targeted therapy and immunotherapy to break through cancer
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11178401 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project combines targeted drugs with immunotherapy to help people with breast cancer, including those whose cancer has spread to the brain, respond better to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2016 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,027,633 |
| NIH project number | 5R35CA210057-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178401 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with breast cancer — particularly those with tumors showing PI3K/PTEN pathway changes or with brain metastases — would be the most relevant candidates for follow-up clinical work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without breast or prostate cancer, or whose tumors do not involve the PI3K/PTEN pathway, are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific program.
What this research studies
You would be reading about a research program that looks at how cancer cell signaling and the immune system interact, focusing on the PI3K/PTEN pathway in breast and prostate cancer. The team uses genetically engineered mice and patient-derived tumor grafts plus multi-omics (genes, proteins, and other molecular data) to test drug combinations and study why some tumors resist therapy. They also study how breast cancer spreads to the brain and test strategies to treat brain metastases. Findings from these lab and preclinical studies are meant to guide treatments that could move into early clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new combination treatments that improve response and outcomes for people with breast cancer and breast cancer brain metastases.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior efforts combining targeted therapies and immunotherapy have shown promise in certain cancers but results are mixed, so this builds on promising but not yet definitive evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhao, Jean — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Zhao, Jean
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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.