Faster tests to measure proteins in individual breast cancer cells

Advanced Sample Preparation, Separation and Multiplexed Analysis for In-Depth Proteome Profiling of >1000 Single Cells Per Day

NIH-funded research Brigham Young University · NIH-11145977

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 typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBrigham Young University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Provo, United States)
Project IDNIH-11145977 on NIH RePORTER

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.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with breast cancer who are willing to donate tumor tissue or biopsy samples for laboratory analysis would be the most relevant participants.

Not a fit: People without cancer or those who do not provide tissue samples would not directly benefit from this laboratory-focused project.

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 performed: 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

Provo, United States

Researchers

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 below.
Conditions Breast Cancer ModelCancer TreatmentCancers
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.