Exosome Secretion and Breast Cancer Spread
Official title: Exosome Secretion in Tumor Aggressiveness
Funded at Vanderbilt University · NIH-11395478 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study at Vanderbilt aims to understand how cancer cell and surrounding cell vesicles called exosomes help breast cancer grow and spread, with the goal of finding ways to disrupt this process.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $200,877 |
| NIH project number | 5R50CA283661-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11395478 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with breast cancer whose disease biology involves exosome activity and cell adhesion processes studied in this project.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancer does not rely on exosome-mediated communication or who have non-breast cancer types may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine how exosomes carry adhesion molecules and other cargo that may promote tumor growth and metastasis in breast cancer. The project also explores how these vesicles are formed and how they can be tracked with imaging tools. By studying the biogenesis and function of exosomes in the tumor environment, the team hopes to identify new targets to prevent cancer cells from migrating and establishing metastatic sites. This work builds on prior NIH-funded studies and uses a combination of molecular biology and imaging approaches at Vanderbilt University.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies to limit breast cancer metastasis by targeting exosome pathways.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown exosome roles in cancer progression, suggesting this approach could yield meaningful insights, though it remains an active area of study.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sung, Bong Hwan — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Sung, Bong Hwan
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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.