How body fat talks to nearby colon tumors
Adipose tissue-colorectal tumor cross-talk: new targets for breaking the obesity-cancer link
This project looks at how excess body fat interacts with colon tumors in people across a range of weights to find targets that could help prevent obesity-related colon cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11175459 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will collect blood, tumor tissue, and fat tissue next to the tumor from people with colon cancer, including those who are normal weight and those with obesity. They will search these paired samples for molecular signals that show how fat may fuel tumor growth. Promising targets found in patients will be tested in lab-grown organoids and in lean and diet-induced obese mouse models to see if blocking those signals slows or stops tumors. The goal is to combine human samples and experimental models to find practical ways to interrupt the link between obesity and colon cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with newly diagnosed colon cancer who can provide blood and allow collection of tumor and nearby adipose tissue, typically during surgical treatment.
Not a fit: People without colon cancer, those unwilling or unable to provide tissue samples, or patients not undergoing surgery to remove the tumor are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new ways to block harmful signals from fat and reduce the risk or progression of colon cancer in people with obesity.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked obesity-related inflammation to higher colon cancer risk, but combining paired human tissue sampling with organoid and mouse experiments to pinpoint and block specific fat-to-tumor signals is a newer, more integrated approach.
Where this research is happening
Salt Lake City, United States
- Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah — Salt Lake City, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ulrich, Cornelia M — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Ulrich, Cornelia M
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.