How cancer cells change and spread inside tumors and metastases
Single-Cell, Spatial and Functional Dissection of Cancer Cell States, Co-Evolving Ecosystems, and Vulnerabilities During Tumor Progression and Metastasis
Maps how individual cancer cells and nearby normal cells change and interact as tumors grow and spread, to help reveal new treatment targets for people with aggressive cancers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181165 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You may be asked to donate tumor tissue or blood so researchers can read gene activity in single cells, see where those cells sit in the tumor, and test how they respond to drugs. The team will use single-cell sequencing, spatial imaging, and lab functional tests to track cancer cell states, their interactions with healthy cells, and how those states change over time. They will study samples from primary tumors and metastases and use models to test which cell states are vulnerable to treatments. The goal is to identify specific cell behaviors and interactions that drive metastasis and treatment resistance.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with aggressive or metastatic solid tumors who can provide tumor tissue or blood samples, including some patients with brain metastases, could be eligible to contribute samples.
Not a fit: People without solid tumors, those unable to provide tissue or blood samples, or patients seeking immediate changes in their therapy are unlikely to directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could point to new drug targets or combinations that prevent metastasis or overcome treatment resistance in aggressive cancers.
How similar studies have performed: Previous single-cell and spatial studies have revealed therapy-resistant cell states in several cancers, but combining these approaches with functional tests to find drug vulnerabilities is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Izar, Benjamin — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Izar, Benjamin
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.