Dissecting how liposarcoma cells differentiate and interact with immune cells to find new therapies
Official title: Dissecting Differentiation and Immune Niches in Liposarcoma for Therapeutic Discovery
Funded at Dana-Farber Cancer Inst · NIH-11451233 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how liposarcoma cancer cells differentiate and how immune cells in the tumor environment influence progression, with the aim of finding new treatment options for patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dana-Farber Cancer Inst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 14, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $288,006 |
| NIH project number | 1K08CA308868-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11451233 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with liposarcoma, particularly those with dedifferentiated subtypes and metastatic disease, may be eligible for future trials or related studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumor biology does not respond to the identified targets may not experience direct benefit.
What this research studies
The project uses patient-derived liposarcoma samples to study how cancer cells change state and interact with immune cells. It combines multiomics and functional studies to map differentiation pathways and immune signals that drive aggressiveness. Findings could point to new targets or combination approaches that could be tested in future clinical trials. The work is designed to translate molecular insights into therapeutic strategies for patients with liposarcoma, especially those with metastatic disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could reveal new therapeutic targets and strategies to slow or stop progression in liposarcoma patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in liposarcoma have shown that metabolism, differentiation, and immune signaling intersect in disease progression, guiding this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pimenta, Erica Maria — Dana-Farber Cancer Inst
- Study coordinator: Pimenta, Erica Maria
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Preclinical mouse models of liposarcoma for immuno-oncology applications
A research grant is studying immune-related ways to understand and treat liposarcoma using a specially engineered mouse model that mimics human tumors.
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Improving CDK4/6 therapy for liposarcoma by understanding resistance
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Improving treatment for liposarcoma by understanding drug resistance
This study is looking to help patients with dedifferentiated liposarcoma by finding better ways to use a cancer treatment called CDK4/6 inhibitors, especially for those who don’t respond well to it, by testing a combination of two drugs, palbociclib and mirdametinib, to see if it can improve their treatment results.
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Finding biomarkers to predict treatment benefits for a specific type of cancer
This study is looking at a new treatment approach for people with a rare type of cancer called liposarcoma, by combining two medications to see if they can work better together, and it aims to find out which patients might benefit the most from this combination.
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Investigating the immune environment of liposarcoma using genetically modified mice
This study is looking at how certain immune cells, called memory T cells, work in the environment of liposarcoma tumors to find new ways to improve treatment for patients with this type of cancer.
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Personalised neoadjuvant therapy planning for adults with high‑risk soft tissue sarcoma
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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.