How lung cancers become resistant to targeted drugs
Organoid Acquired Resistance
This project uses patient-derived mini-tumors grown in the lab to find why targeted lung cancer drugs stop working.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11190988 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will grow tiny, patient-derived organoids from your tumor biopsy that recreate cancer cells and parts of the tumor environment. They will expose these organoids to targeted therapies used in non-small cell lung cancer (like EGFR and KRAS G12C inhibitors) to see how resistance develops. The project uses advanced proteomics and bioinformatics to track molecular changes and separates tumor-intrinsic from microenvironment-driven resistance. Findings aim to point toward biomarkers or approaches that could prevent or overcome relapse.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with non-small cell lung cancer—especially those whose tumors have EGFR, ALK, KRAS G12C, or ROS1 alterations or who are receiving targeted therapies and can provide a biopsy—would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without non-small cell lung cancer, or those unable or unwilling to provide tumor tissue, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could reveal why targeted therapies stop working and suggest new ways to prevent or treat drug-resistant lung cancer, potentially extending responses.
How similar studies have performed: Organoid models and proteomic approaches have shown promise in modeling drug resistance in several cancers, but applying them to specific NSCLC resistance mechanisms is still an emerging area.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bandyopadhyay, Sourav — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Bandyopadhyay, Sourav
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.