Health effects of N-nitrosamines and ways to reduce cancer risk
Official title: Project 1: Assessment of the Health Effects of N-Nitrosamines and Development of Disease Mitigation Strategies
Funded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology · NIH-11398618 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how certain mutagenic chemicals called N-nitrosamines may cause cancer and develops tools to predict and reduce that risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $633,255 |
| NIH project number | 5P42ES027707-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398618 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals living in areas with exposure to N-nitrosamines or patients in whom exposure reduction or biomarker monitoring could be relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People without exposure to N-nitrosamines or those not at risk from environmental carcinogens may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at MIT are creating new mouse models and cell-based systems to study how low, real-world exposures to N-nitrosamines lead to cancer. The project uses engineered mice with key DNA-repair gene mutations and built-in mutation detectors to track how these chemicals cause damage over time. They will combine laboratory findings with data science to identify biomarkers and mechanisms that signal rising cancer risk. A probiotic organism and a novel cell array platform will help screen environmental exposures and test mitigation strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to earlier detection of exposure-related cancer risk and new ways to prevent cancer caused by environmental chemicals.
How similar studies have gone: Related models and screening tools for environmental carcinogens have shown promise in identifying risk and guiding prevention.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Engelward, Bevin P. — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Engelward, Bevin P.
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.