Developing a new biosensor to improve cancer treatment responses

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This research focuses on creating a biosensor that can analyze ascites, a fluid that accumulates in the abdomen of cancer patients, to better understand how tumors respond to treatments. By utilizing samples that are typically discarded, the study aims to identify the molecular characteristics of tumors in patients with difficult-to-treat cancers like gastroesophageal and ovarian cancer. The approach involves advanced technology to evaluate these samples without the need for invasive biopsies, potentially leading to more personalized and effective treatment options for patients. The goal is to enhance the prediction of how well patients will respond to specific therapies based on their unique tumor profiles.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  Cambridge, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Boehm, Jesse Samuel — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Study coordinator: Boehm, Jesse Samuel

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

• Proximal Splenic Artery Embolization to Help People with Tough-to-Manage Ascites from Cirrhosis

  A small patient-centered study tests a minimally invasive procedure to reduce ascites and improve quality of life for people with decompensated liver cirrhosis who can’t safely have a TIPS procedure.

  NIH research Massachusetts General Hospital · Boston, United States · NIH-11448329

• Molecular clues in ascites that may predict infections in cirrhosis

  Researchers will study the fluid in the abdomen of people with cirrhosis to find signs that predict dangerous infections and death.

  NIH research University of California, San Francisco · San Francisco, United States · NIH-11387707

• Using abdominal (ascites) fluid to guide cancer treatment choices

  This project uses a new lab device that analyzes cells from abdominal fluid to help pick more effective treatments for people with gastroesophageal or ovarian cancer.

  NIH research Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, United States · NIH-11290370

• Under-the-skin medicine for fluid buildup (ascites) from portal hypertension

  A new injectable medicine given under the skin to help people with cirrhosis who have hard-to-treat fluid buildup in the belly.

  NIH research Pharmain Corporation · Bothell, United States · NIH-11193954

• Gut leakage in dengue: is the intestinal barrier affected during infection?

  Researchers are studying whether dengue infection disrupts the gut barrier and if that contributes to severe disease in adults with dengue who are in hospital.

  Recruiting University of Oxford · Chittagong, Chattogram Division · NCT07602920

• Apixaban plus carvedilol to prevent portal-hypertension complications in cirrhosis

  This will test whether adding apixaban to carvedilol can help prevent variceal bleeding, portal vein thrombosis, and other portal-hypertension complications in adults with Child-Pugh B cirrhosis.

  Recruiting Phase 4 Asian Institute Of Medical Sciences · Hyderābād, Sindh · NCT07521332

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.