Engineered probiotics that deliver cancer drugs directly inside breast tumors
Programmable encapsulation systems to improve delivery of therapeutic bacteria
This project tests engineered probiotic bacteria meant to travel through the blood, find triple-negative breast cancer tumors, and release cancer-fighting medicines right inside the tumor.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia Univ New York Morningside NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167573 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers at Columbia are engineering harmless probiotic bacteria to circulate in the blood, home in on triple-negative breast cancer tumors, and release cancer-fighting agents right where they are needed. They are developing a programmable encapsulation coating to protect the bacteria during IV delivery so more bacteria reach tumors safely. In lab and animal tests they will use strains like E. coli Nissle 1917 that previously colonized breast tumors and measure how well the encapsulation improves tumor targeting and drug release. The goal is to produce clinic-ready bacterial therapies that can deliver higher local drug doses with fewer systemic side effects.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with triple-negative breast cancer, especially those with metastatic disease, would be the likely candidates for this approach.
Not a fit: Patients without triple-negative breast cancer or those who are severely immunocompromised may not benefit from or be eligible for bacterial therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let doctors deliver higher doses of anti-cancer agents directly inside tumors while reducing side effects elsewhere in the body.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier clinical trials of intravenously given attenuated bacteria showed safe dosing but low tumor colonization rates (<15%), while preclinical work with probiotic strains has shown promising tumor targeting in animals, so this approach builds on encouraging lab results but is not yet proven in patients.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia Univ New York Morningside — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Danino, Tal — Columbia Univ New York Morningside
- Study coordinator: Danino, Tal
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 below.