How cancer cells release proteins that help tumors spread
Official title: Novel molecular mechanism for extracellular release of proteins implicated in metastatic cancer
Funded at Saint Louis University · NIH-11133044 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is learning how tumor cells send out certain proteins that help cancer move to other parts of the body, with the goal of helping people with metastatic cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Saint Louis University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $406,379 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA265877-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11133044 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with metastatic solid tumors or cancers known to have hypoxic (low-oxygen) tumor regions would be most likely to benefit from downstream therapies or future related trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without cancer or with early-stage cancers unlikely to rely on these stress-driven pathways would probably not see direct benefit from this work in the near term.
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are working in the lab to understand how cancer cells push important proteins out into the space around them, especially under low-oxygen and acidic conditions found in aggressive tumors. They will study the shapes and membrane interactions of these proteins and how acidity and membrane curvature control their release, using cell models and advanced imaging and biophysical tools. The team plans to map the molecular steps that let these proteins cross membranes without the usual cellular shipping routes. Those discoveries could point to ways to block this release in tumors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets to slow or stop cancer spread by preventing tumor cells from releasing proteins that promote metastasis.
How similar studies have gone: Basic lab studies support the existence of unconventional protein release in tumors, but translating these findings into treatments is still new and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dastvan, Reza — Saint Louis University
- Study coordinator: Dastvan, Reza
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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.