How loss of the AMPK energy sensor may help melanoma spread to the brain
Official title: Role of AMPK in melanoma brain metastasis
Funded at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center · NIH-11253302 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project checks whether losing the AMPKα2 protein helps melanomas—especially NF1-mutant tumors—grow and spread to the brain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cedars-Sinai Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2023 |
| Project end | December 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $604,174 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276448-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11253302 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cutaneous melanoma—particularly those whose tumors have NF1 mutations or who have brain metastases—would be most relevant to this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without melanoma or with melanoma that lacks relevant AMPK/NF1 changes are unlikely to get direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
The team will compare tumor tissue from patients' brain metastases and matching extracranial metastases to look for loss of AMPKα2. In the lab they will use cell-based assays and mouse models, including mice engineered to lack AMPKα2 and syngeneic models that include immune effects, to see how AMPKα2 loss changes tumor growth and spread. They will also test human melanoma cells with NF1 mutations in xenografts to observe brain-colonizing behavior. Results from mice and cells will be linked back to patient samples to determine clinical relevance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to a new marker or therapeutic approach to prevent or treat melanoma brain metastases.
How similar studies have gone: Early lab and animal data from the investigators suggest AMPKα2 loss promotes melanoma growth and brain spread, but translating AMPK-targeted approaches to patients is still experimental.
Where this research is happening
-
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zheng, Bin — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zheng, Bin
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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.