Helping chemotherapy work better for triple-negative breast cancer
Overcoming chemoresistance in triple negative breast cancer
Using new drugs that block a protein called LOX to help chemotherapy kill triple-negative breast cancer cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11229605 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina are studying how a protein called lysyl oxidase (LOX) makes triple-negative breast tumors resistant to chemotherapy and are designing small molecules to block it. They will use lab models including 3-D cell cultures and tumor samples to see whether blocking LOX improves drug penetration and reduces survival signals in cancer cells. The team will study both the structural tumor changes and cell-signaling pathways driven by LOX, and then generate prototype LOX inhibitors for preclinical testing. Results are intended to pave the way for future clinical trials combining LOX blockers with standard chemotherapy for people with TNBC.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, especially those whose tumors have not responded well to standard chemotherapy, would be the eventual candidates for therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: Patients with non–triple-negative breast cancers or those seeking an immediately available therapy are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this preclinical research until clinical trials begin.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make standard chemotherapies more effective against triple-negative breast cancer and reduce treatment failure.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory studies have linked LOX to chemotherapy resistance and early preclinical work suggests that targeting LOX can re-sensitize tumors, but selective LOX inhibitors for patients are still novel.
Where this research is happening
Charleston, United States
- Medical University of South Carolina — Charleston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sahin, Ozgur — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Sahin, Ozgur
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.