Creating new cancer models from diverse patient tumors
Official title: United for Health Equity - Living PDX Program (U4HELPP)
Funded at Virginia Commonwealth University · NIH-11064403 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working to create special models from tumors of patients with advanced cancers like breast and pancreatic cancer, especially focusing on including people from diverse backgrounds, to help find better treatments that work for everyone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project start | July 19, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $131,820 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA283762-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11064403 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation are patients diagnosed with breast, pancreatic, colon, liver, lung, or advanced peritoneal cancers, especially those from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with cancers not included in the study, or those who do not belong to underrepresented populations, may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
The United for Health Equity - Living PDX Program (U4HELPP) aims to develop over 500 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models from tumors of patients with breast, pancreatic, colon, liver, lung, and other advanced peritoneal cancers. This initiative focuses on including more than 60% of patients from underrepresented populations, ensuring diverse genetic representation. Tumors will be extracted and processed to create PDXs, which will then undergo genomic characterization to understand how ancestry influences cancer genetics and treatment responses. The resulting models will be used to identify more effective therapies for pancreatic and breast cancers.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and personalized cancer treatments for patients, particularly those from underrepresented populations.
How similar studies have gone: Similar research approaches have shown promise in developing patient-derived models, but this specific initiative is particularly focused on enhancing diversity in cancer research.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Trevino, Jose G. — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Trevino, Jose G.
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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.