How cancer cells decide when to die
Systems and Network-level Regulation of Cell Death
This project looks at how different built-in cell death programs interact inside cancer cells to help guide better ways to kill them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326297 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the lab is mapping the many ways cells can undergo programmed death and how those pathways talk to each other. They combine lab experiments in cells with computational analysis to see which death programs win or block each other. By identifying the interactions and key control points, the team aims to point to new drug targets or combinations that force cancer cells to die. The work is basic-lab focused but is meant to lay the groundwork for future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer who are willing to donate tumor samples or who may join future clinical trials based on discoveries about cell-death pathways would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Individuals without cancer or those expecting immediate changes to their treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this basic laboratory project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets or drug combinations that make cancer treatments more effective at killing tumor cells.
How similar studies have performed: Some preclinical research targeting specific death pathways like ferroptosis has shown promise, but detailed network-level interactions among many death programs remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Worcester, United States
- Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester — Worcester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Michael Jungho — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Lee, Michael Jungho
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.