Controlling the spread of high-risk hepatoblastoma using NRF2
Official title: High-risk hepatoblastoma dissemination control by oncogenic NRF2
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11140329 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at how a protein called NRF2 helps high-risk hepatoblastoma spread in children, hoping to find new ways to stop it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 17, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $477,530 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA282467-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11140329 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is focused on understanding high-risk hepatoblastoma, particularly in children whose cancer has spread or returned after treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with low-risk hepatoblastoma or other types of cancer may not directly benefit from this specific research focus.
What this research studies
Hepatoblastoma is a liver cancer in children, and for those with high-risk forms that have spread or returned, current treatments often don't work well. We believe that certain cancer cells, called circulating tumor cells, are responsible for the cancer spreading and resisting therapy. Our goal is to understand exactly how these cells cause the cancer to spread, especially focusing on the role of a protein called NRF2. By understanding these processes, we hope to develop new, more precise treatments that can specifically target and stop the cancer from spreading.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new, more effective treatments for children with high-risk hepatoblastoma, improving their chances of survival.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data supports the role of NRF2 in hepatoblastoma spread, indicating a promising, yet still early-stage, approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Woodfield, Sarah Elizabeth — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Woodfield, Sarah Elizabeth
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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High-risk hepatoblastoma spread control through NRF2 targeting
This project studies how aggressive liver cancer in children spreads and how turning off NRF2 might prevent it, with the goal of helping kids with high-risk hepatoblastoma survive longer.
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Targeting specific immune cells to improve treatment for childhood liver cancer.
This study is looking at how certain immune cells might make it harder to treat hepatoblastoma, a type of liver cancer in kids, and aims to find out if getting rid of these cells can help make treatments work better.
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Controlling the spread of high-risk liver tumors in children
This study is looking at how certain cancer cells in the blood of children with hepatoblastoma, especially those with tougher cases, can make treatment less effective, and it hopes to find new ways to help these kids get better.
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Understanding liver cancer in children using stem cells
This study is looking at how a type of liver cancer called hepatoblastoma affects kids, and it's using special cells to learn more about the disease and find better treatments that could help young patients.
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Using blood DNA 5hmC markers and the SCCG chemotherapy protocol to predict response and monitor relapse in children with hepatoblastoma
This trial will test whether a blood-based DNA marker (5hmC) together with the SCCG treatment plan can predict chemotherapy response and detect recurrence in children and adolescents with hepatoblastoma.
-
Pucotenlimab with lenvatinib and chemotherapy for children with advanced or relapsed hepatoblastoma
This study will test whether pucotenlimab combined with lenvatinib and irinotecan can help children aged 2–18 whose hepatoblastoma did not respond to prior treatments.
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.