How bacteria inside colorectal tumors differ by population and relate to outcomes
Project 3: Population group differences in the intra-tumoral microbiome: Impact on colorectal cancer mortality and clinicopathologic correlates
This project looks at bacteria living inside colorectal tumors from different population groups to see how those differences might relate to cancer outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11176280 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use genetic sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA from tumor tissue to identify which bacteria live inside colorectal tumors. They will compare bacterial patterns across population groups that have different colorectal cancer rates and link those patterns to tumor features like location and molecular subtype. The team will analyze links between specific bacteria and survival after diagnosis using clinical data paired with the sequencing results. The work aims to find bacteria that are more common in tumors from groups with worse outcomes and to understand how those microbes relate to disease behavior.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with colorectal cancer who can provide tumor tissue or consent to use of their archived tumor samples, especially those from population groups with higher CRC rates, would be ideal candidates for contributing to this work.
Not a fit: People without colorectal cancer or those whose tumors are not available for sequencing are unlikely to directly benefit from participating in this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to bacterial markers that help predict prognosis or new targets for prevention or tailored treatments for colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked bacteria such as Fusobacterium nucleatum to colorectal cancer but evidence is limited and the focus on population-level differences and novel candidate bacteria is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hullar, Meredith — Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
- Study coordinator: Hullar, Meredith
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.