Creating models to study how cancer spreads to different organs
Official title: Tissue engineered organ-specific cancer metastasis model for cancer research
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-10942065 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring new ways to understand how cancer spreads to different organs by creating special lab-made tissues that mimic real organs, which could help develop better treatments tailored just for you.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | September 10, 2024 |
| Project end | August 26, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $544,475 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA292382-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10942065 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with specific types of cancer who are experiencing or at risk of metastasis to organs like the liver or lungs.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers that do not typically metastasize to the organs being studied may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing advanced models that mimic how cancer spreads to specific organs, which is crucial for improving cancer treatment. The team uses tissue engineering techniques to create decellularized tissues that retain important proteins, allowing cancer cells to grow in a controlled environment that reflects the actual organ microenvironment. By studying how cancer cells behave on these engineered tissues, researchers aim to better understand the biology of metastasis and the factors that influence tumor growth in different organs. This innovative approach could lead to more effective therapies tailored to individual patients' cancer types.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and personalized cancer treatments by improving our understanding of how cancer spreads.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using tissue engineering for cancer models, but this specific approach to organ-specific metastasis is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Andrew Zhuang — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wang, Andrew Zhuang
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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.