How clearing damaged mitochondria shapes breast tissue development
Official title: Mitophagy Dependent Regulation of Mammary Gland Differentiation
Funded at Texas A&m Agrilife Research · NIH-11159627 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at whether the way cells clear damaged mitochondria (mitophagy) helps shape normal breast tissue and affects breast cancer risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m Agrilife Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $419,781 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD102149-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159627 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with breast cancer or individuals willing to donate breast tissue or blood samples for research would be the most relevant contributors to this project.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate clinical treatments or experimental therapies are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic laboratory-focused project.
What this research studies
Researchers will study mitophagy — the cellular process that recycles damaged mitochondria — during mammary gland development to see how it influences cell differentiation and tissue architecture. The team will examine signaling pathways and key proteins (including SIM2s) in laboratory models and tissue samples to map how mitochondrial changes link to gene regulation. They will compare mitochondrial shape, function, and related epigenetic marks across developmental stages and in cancer-relevant contexts. Findings will be built from cell and animal models and from analysis of mammary tissue to connect basic mechanisms to breast health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets to prevent or treat breast cancer by restoring or modifying mitochondrial recycling in breast cells.
How similar studies have gone: Prior lab studies have linked mitophagy to cell differentiation and cancer biology, but applying those findings specifically to mammary gland development and SIM2s-driven signaling is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m Agrilife Research
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Porter, Weston W — Texas A&m Agrilife Research
- Study coordinator: Porter, Weston W
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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.