Following neural stem cells that target breast cancer spread in the brain
Spatial and Temporal Tracking of Neural Stem Cells Migration to Brain Metastases of Breast Cancer using High Resolution Imaging
['FUNDING_R01'] · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · NIH-11238077
Researchers will build high-resolution, non-invasive imaging to watch therapeutic neural stem cells move to breast cancer brain metastases to support better-targeted treatments for patients.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11238077 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, scientists are engineering neural stem cells that can carry anti-cancer antibodies and using advanced imaging to see exactly where and when those cells go inside the brain. The team will test these approaches in preclinical models of breast cancer brain metastases to map stem cell migration over time and space. The goal is to create reliable, non-invasive ways to monitor these therapeutic cells in the complex brain environment. Although the current work uses animal models, the methods aim to enable future clinical tracking and safer delivery of stem-cell-based therapies to people with brain metastases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: The eventual trials would most likely enroll patients with breast cancer that has spread to the brain, especially those with multiple metastatic lesions not amenable to surgery.
Not a fit: Patients without brain metastases or those whose primary cancer is not breast cancer are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could let doctors track and guide stem-cell therapies to brain metastases, improving precision and possibly reducing the need for whole-brain radiation and its side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Previous preclinical and early clinical work shows neural stem cells can home to brain tumors and deliver therapies, but reliable, non-invasive high-resolution tracking inside the brain is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
CHICAGO, UNITED STATES
- NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY — CHICAGO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: BALYASNIKOVA, IRINA V — NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: BALYASNIKOVA, IRINA V
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.
Conditions: Brain Diseases, Brain Disorders