Faster tests to measure proteins in individual breast cancer cells
Official title: Advanced Sample Preparation, Separation and Multiplexed Analysis for In-Depth Proteome Profiling of >1000 Single Cells Per Day
Funded at Brigham Young University · NIH-11145977 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Developing faster lab methods to measure many proteins in single cancer cells so people with breast cancer can get more detailed tumor information for better care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham Young University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Provo, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $545,456 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA279074-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11145977 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with breast cancer who are willing to donate tumor tissue or biopsy samples for laboratory analysis would be the most relevant participants.
✕Less likely to help
People without cancer or those who do not provide tissue samples would not directly benefit from this laboratory-focused project.
What this research studies
This project will develop faster lab methods that let researchers measure thousands of proteins in individual cancer cells each day. They will use mass spectrometry plus improved sample processing and multiplexing with chemical tags to analyze many single cells quickly. The team aims to achieve throughput above 1,000 single cells per day while keeping deep protein coverage. Higher-speed profiling is intended to reveal rare or resistant tumor cell subgroups that bulk tests miss.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable more precise tumor profiling that helps guide treatment choices and spot resistant cancer cell subpopulations earlier.
How similar studies have gone: Early single-cell proteomics studies have shown it's possible to measure thousands of proteins per cell, but scaling to thousands of cells per day is a new and active challenge.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham Young University
Provo, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kelly, Ryan T — Brigham Young University
- Study coordinator: Kelly, Ryan T
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.