How mTOR controls cancer cell dormancy and tumor recurrence
Functional roles of mTOR in tumor persistence
This work looks at whether reducing mTOR activity causes cancer cells to go dormant and stick around after chemotherapy, with a focus on breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322994 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will use patient-derived breast tumor samples and laboratory tumor models to see how lowering mTOR activity changes cancer cell behavior after treatment. They will use genetic tools (including CRISPR libraries) and mouse patient-derived xenograft models to find the genes and pathways that let tumor cells enter a diapause-like dormant state. The team will compare tumors before and after chemotherapy to link low mTOR activity with residual disease and identify targets that might prevent persistence. Results will combine molecular analyses with functional tests in models derived from actual patient tumors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with breast cancer—especially those with residual tumor after chemotherapy or who can donate tumor tissue—would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without cancer or those looking for immediate treatment changes are unlikely to benefit directly, since this is a laboratory-focused project rather than a therapeutic trial.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal why some tumors survive chemotherapy and point to ways to prevent or eliminate those dormant residual cancer cells.
How similar studies have performed: Many clinical trials of mTOR inhibitors have had mixed or poor outcomes, but recent studies have reported low mTOR activity in residual tumors and this project takes a novel mechanistic approach to that observation.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Methodist Hospital Research Institute — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, Yulin — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Li, Yulin
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.