Creating new cancer models from diverse patient tumors

United for Health Equity - Living PDX Program (U4HELPP)

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · NIH-11064403

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

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorVIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (RICHMOND, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11064403 on ClinicalTrials.gov

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: 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.

Not a fit: Patients with cancers not included in the study, or those who do not belong to underrepresented populations, may not benefit from this research.

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 performed: 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

RICHMOND, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Breast Cancer, Cancer Center, Cancer Model, CancerModel

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.