How West African ancestry may shape the immune response in triple-negative breast cancer
Official title: The DARC side of Breast Cancer Disparities - African Ancestry and Cancer- Related Immune Response
Funded at Morehouse School of Medicine · NIH-11398719 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether West African genetic ancestry changes immune responses in people with triple-negative breast cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morehouse School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | September 23, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $15,000 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA259396-05S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398719 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with triple-negative breast cancer who have West African, African American, or Afro-Caribbean ancestry and who can provide tumor and/or blood samples and medical records.
✕Less likely to help
People without triple-negative breast cancer, those without the relevant ancestry groups, or those unwilling to provide samples are unlikely to be directly included or to benefit immediately.
What this research studies
If you join, you may be asked to provide tumor tissue, blood samples, and medical information so researchers can link ancestry to tumor biology. The team will compare samples from women in Africa, African American, and Afro-Caribbean communities and use integrated multi-omics approaches (gene expression and proteomics) plus immune cell profiling. They will look for ancestry-associated gene and protein patterns and distinct immune cell infiltration in tumors. The goal is to define tumor–immune types that could explain higher TNBC risk and worse outcomes in people with West African ancestry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could explain why people with West African ancestry face higher triple-negative breast cancer risk and point to biomarkers or immune-targeted treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Epidemiological work has repeatedly shown higher TNBC rates in women with West African ancestry, but linking ancestry-associated gene expression to proteomics and tumor immune profiles is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Morehouse School of Medicine
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Davis, Melissa B — Morehouse School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Davis, Melissa B
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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.