How the stiffness of fat tissue affects breast cancer
Official title: Mechanical properties of adipose tissue and its effect on breast cancer
Funded at Cornell University · NIH-11401176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research explores how the mechanical stiffness of fat tissue around breast tumors influences how aggressively cancer can spread, especially in obesity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project start | September 12, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $560,949 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276392-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11401176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with breast cancer, particularly those with obesity or changing fat tissue mechanics, could benefit from findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without obesity-related changes in fat tissue mechanics or those not at risk for invasion may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers at Cornell University are studying how the physical properties of white fat tissue, not just its chemical signals, may drive breast cancer invasion and metastasis. They will examine changes in fat tissue mechanics in obesity and how these changes affect the surrounding tumor environment and ECM remodeling. The study uses a combination of tissue analysis, imaging, and bioinformatics to connect adipose mechanics to cancer cell behavior. The goal is to identify whether mechanical cues from fat tissue could become targets to limit tumor spread in breast cancer patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new ways to reduce breast cancer invasion by targeting fat tissue mechanics.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies showed that tissue mechanics can influence cancer invasion, supporting the potential of this approach, though direct adipose mechanics in breast cancer is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Cornell University
Ithaca, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fischbach, Claudia — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Fischbach, Claudia
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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.