How low PHGDH changes sugar metabolism to help triple‑negative breast cancer spread
Official title: Examining PHGDH-mediated activation of sialic acid metabolism to drive triple-negative breast cancer metastasis
Funded at Michigan State University · NIH-11285392 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how low levels of the enzyme PHGDH change sialic acid sugar metabolism in ways that help triple‑negative breast cancer cells spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project start | March 11, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $404,071 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA270136-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11285392 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with triple‑negative breast cancer, particularly those who can provide tumor tissue or clinical data for research, are the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other breast cancer subtypes or those seeking an immediate change in clinical treatment are unlikely to get direct benefit from this laboratory‑focused project.
What this research studies
From a patient's view, the team is studying triple‑negative breast cancer cells and tumor samples to understand why tumors with low PHGDH are more likely to metastasize. They will remove or alter genes in the serine pathway and map PHGDH protein interactions and location inside cells to see if PHGDH has non‑enzymatic roles. Mass spectrometry will be used to trace metabolic rewiring and sialic acid production, and researchers will overexpress related metabolic genes to test how carbon is routed. The goal is to connect lab findings back to human tumor behavior so results could guide future therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets to block or reduce metastasis in triple‑negative breast cancer by disrupting the PHGDH–sialic acid pathway.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have tied PHGDH and sialic acid metabolism to cancer, but the specific non‑catalytic mechanism proposed here is a newer, mostly preclinical idea under early exploration.
Where this research is happening
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Michigan State University
East Lansing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lunt, Sophia — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Lunt, Sophia
Related research
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Designer peptides that latch onto the EphB4 protein are being developed to try to stop triple‑negative breast cancer from spreading, with attention to the higher risk seen in African American women.
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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.