How immune cells spot early skin cancer
Official title: Defining the role of innate immune cells in the early stages of immune surveillance of skin cancer by using a novel model that allows in vivo imaging of the immunoediting process.
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11182561 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using a new imaging model, researchers will watch how immune cells detect and control tiny early skin cancers to inform future prevention and treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $457,791 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AR080418-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182561 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People at higher risk for skin cancer—such as those with extensive sun damage, actinic keratoses, or a personal/family history of skin cancer—would be most likely to follow this work or be eligible for related future trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-skin cancers or those who currently need immediate treatment for advanced skin tumors are unlikely to benefit directly from this preclinical mouse-model research.
What this research studies
This project uses a novel mouse model that labels individual skin cells that become cancerous with a fluorescent tag and places them into normal, immunocompetent skin. Scientists use live intravital confocal microscopy to noninvasively image those single-cell clones as they appear and change over time. The mice are set up so immune cells are also visible, allowing direct observation of early interactions between transformed skin cells and innate immune cells. By following this immunoediting process in situ, the team aims to find the first immune defenses that stop tumors before they grow into invasive cancer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify early immune mechanisms to prevent or treat skin cancers before they become advanced.
How similar studies have gone: While immunotherapy has proven that immune control of cancer can work, directly imaging early skin cancer development in live animals is a novel approach and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roop, Dennis — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Roop, Dennis
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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.