How Cancer Cells Use Nitrogen and Other Nutrients
Exploring the Role of Nitrogen Metabolism in Cancer
This research helps us understand how cancer cells use nutrients like sugar and glutamine to grow, which could lead to new ways to stop them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11132676 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We know that cancer cells often use sugar differently than healthy cells, a process called the "Warburg Effect." This project also looks at how cancer cells use another important nutrient called glutamine, which they process in a unique way to build new proteins, fats, and DNA. By understanding these special ways cancer cells get their energy and building blocks, we hope to find their weaknesses. This knowledge could help us develop new treatments that specifically target how cancer cells feed themselves, potentially slowing or stopping their growth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational laboratory research aims to understand cancer at a cellular level, so it does not involve direct patient participation at this stage.
Not a fit: Patients would not receive direct, immediate benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could uncover new targets for medicines that specifically block cancer cell growth by disrupting their unique metabolism.
How similar studies have performed: There has been significant ongoing work and renewed interest in understanding how cancer cells alter their metabolism, with previous findings from this lab on glutamine utilization.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thompson, Craig B — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Thompson, Craig B
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.