How cancer cell metabolism helps tumors spread to specific organs
Mathematical modeling of metabolism rewiring in cancer eco-evolution and metastasis tropism
['FUNDING_R01'] · SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH · NIH-11248377
Researchers are building computer models using tumor and lab data to understand how changes in cancer cell metabolism let breast cancer cells colonize organs like the brain, lung, and bone.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11248377 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project combines mathematical and computer models with laboratory measurements to map how cancer cells rewire their metabolism as they leave the primary tumor and settle in different organs. The team will use gene activity, metabolite, and metabolic flux data from original tumor cells and their metastatic derivatives to simulate oxygen and nutrient gradients in three-dimensional tumor environments. By comparing cells that home to lung, brain, or bone, they aim to identify metabolic patterns that match specific distant tissue “soils.” The approach blends lab experiments and data-driven modeling to suggest metabolic vulnerabilities that could be targeted to block spread.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with breast cancer—especially those with known or suspected metastases to lung, brain, or bone—or patients willing to donate tumor tissue for research would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers unrelated to breast cancer or patients seeking immediate clinical therapies may not receive direct benefit from this basic modeling research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal metabolic signatures that predict or help prevent organ-specific metastasis, pointing to new treatment strategies to limit cancer spread.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have found metabolic differences linked to metastasis, but using eco-evolutionary mathematical models to predict organ-specific spread is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: XAVIER, JOAO — SLOAN-KETTERING INST CAN RESEARCH
- Study coordinator: XAVIER, JOAO
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.